A 37-year-old man charged with the kidnap and murder of 50-year-old Hastings man Johnny Wright has been granted further name suppression.
The accused appeared in Hastings District Court for the second time yesterday (Tuesday) on 13 indictable charges including unlawfully detaining and murdering Mr Wright on June 24.
Further charges
laid after alleged incidents with other victims include kidnapping, possession of an offensive weapon, multiple counts of threatening to kill, assault and assault with intent to injure.
Heavily tattooed with multiple bulldogs gracing his right arm, the man told Judge Tony Adeane he hailed "from the Bay of Plenty" and was yet to speak to his lawyer.
Mr Wright, a sickness beneficiary who had not been seen or heard from since June 21, was reported missing by family in July.
Police said forensic evidence found at his Caroline Rd home suggested foul play. When his flat was cleared on June 25, blood was found on the lounge wall, floor and ceiling, along with a few of his personal possessions.
In mid-August, with the trail going cold, police enlisted the services of TV2's Police Ten-7 frontman Graham Bell to give prime-time exposure to the suspected homicide. Two weeks later a public tip-off led to a search of a rural property near Eskdale, where Mr Wright's body was discovered in a shallow grave.
Post-mortem examination results indicated he died as a result of injuries received from an assault.
Judge Adeane granted further name suppression and remanded the man in custody until his next appearance on December 6.
