Brett Fraser cold case: Police issue fresh plea for information on decade-old killing

Police are hoping someone who kept quiet over the 2014 murder of West Auckland father Brett Fraser will come forward more than a decade later to help solve the cold case.

An outline of key elements of the 10-year-old case is set to be presented in tonight’s Cold Case episode on TV1.

Fraser, 51, and his flatmate – a friend for more than 30 years – were assaulted by three men during a home invasion at a warehouse-apartment on Westech Pl in Kelston on the night of October 21, 2014.

“Brett’s flatmate told police that at around 9pm that night he and Brett were assaulted by intruders who then took items from the property,” Acting Detective Inspector Simon Harrison said last week.

“The flatmate called 111 and administered CPR to Brett until first responders arrived and took over.

“Sadly, despite everyone’s best efforts, Brett died at the scene.”

Brett Fraser, 51, was assaulted during a home invasion at his West Auckland warehouse-apartment in 2014 and died due to blunt force trauma to the head. Photo / NZ Police

In an extensive investigation, police followed up numerous lines of inquiry into possible suspects and motives, made media appeals, analysed CCTV footage and in 2015 offered a $50,000 reward for information.

“No offender was able to be identified and the lines of inquiry were exhausted without any arrests made or charges laid,” Harrison said.

“Ten years on, we remain motivated to hold to account those responsible for his death.”

Details of a coronial inquest released in 2019 ruled Fraser died of unnatural causes, due to blunt force trauma to the head.

Police say that 10 years on they remain motivated to hold to account those responsible for Fraser's death. Photo / NZ Police

The flatmate told police Fraser called out to him and as he came downstairs he saw the 51-year-old being assaulted by “a man wearing a balaclava and holding a sharp object”.

Police said at the time that Fraser’s flatmate had been running a cannabis-growing operation inside the property and had recently harvested his plants.

Senior Constable Paul Herman told the court many fingerprints had been taken from the scene and 17 remained unidentified.

Police at the scene of Brett Gene Fraser's murder, in his Glen Eden home in 2014. Photo / Jason Oxenham

Herman said the investigation team had interviewed more than 55 people, “many of those more than once”.

Harrison said investigators had worked through a large volume of information and tonight’s Cold Case at 8.30pm on TV1 would “present an outline of the key elements of the case in the hope it will prompt someone to come forward with information that could provide new lines of inquiry”.

Anyone with relevant information or knowledge about the circumstances around Fraser’s death who has not yet spoken to police is urged to come forward, “to help give Brett’s family some answers”.

Police can be contacted on 0800 COLD CASE (0800 2653 2273).

Benjamin Plummer is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. He has worked for the Herald since 2022.

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