Duty solicitor Aaron Dooney, acting on behalf of assigned counsel Chris Muston, did not seek bail, but requested interim name suppression, which was granted.
The man was remanded in custody to re-appear in the court on Tuesday.
Northland police crime manager Detective Inspector Karyn Malthus said police initially started an assault investigation on Wednesday night after Mr Edwards had been admitted to hospital with an unexplained life-threatening head injury.
"And as a result of his death police have upgraded [this] to a homicide investigation," Ms Malthus said.
She said police were yesterday continuing to speak to the other occupants of Mr Edwards' West Coast Rd home to understand what occurred in the days leading up to Mr Edwards' death.
An examination of the house continued yesterday by police and forensic scientists, and officers also spoke to neighbours.
Mr Edwards' next of kin have been advised of his death and a post-mortem examination was to be carried out yesterday afternoon.
Ms Malthus said the arrested man was known to Mr Edwards.
She said as the matter was now before the courts, police could not comment any further in regard to the detail of the investigation other than to say they were not seeking anybody else at this time.
An ambulance was called to Mr Edwards' home, about 13km southeast of Dargaville, about 7pm on Wednesday.
He was found unconscious with serious head injuries and taken to Dargaville Hospital.
Ms Malthus said police were called about 7.30pm as a result of a doctor's assessment of the man's injuries.
From Dargaville Mr Edwards was flown to Whangarei Hospital by the Northland Electricity rescue helicopter, then flown in a critical condition to Auckland Hospital.
His life support machine was switched off on Thursday afternoon.
The home is about 100 metres up West Coast Rd, on the corner of Hospital Rd, and neighbours spoken to by the Northern Advocate were shocked to learn what had happened in their quiet street.
