Canterbury lake murder: Case transferred to High Court

Police searching the area near to where Marcus Tucker's body was found. Photo / File

The fourth person charged in connection with the case of alleged murder victim Marcus Luke Tucker whose badly bashed body was found burned and dumped by a Canterbury lake last month has been transferred to the High Court.

George Perry Waata, 51, is accused of assaulting Tucker with an intent to injure him on April 24 - the day before his body was found.

Police allege that Waata, of Opawa in Christchurch, assaulted Tucker along with Peter John Carroll, 51, who is then accused of then going on to murder Tucker.

Waata appeared at Christchurch District Court this morning via audio visual link from prison.

Defence counsel Josh Lucas asked for Waata to be transferred to the High Court, to next appear on June 24. He remains in custody.

Carroll, of Bishopdale, Christchurch will also appear on that day.

Also appearing on June 24 is Anthony Richard Dawson, a 28-year-old supervisor from Leeston.

He has been charged that on April 24, at Leeston, knowing that a murder had been committed, he helped Carroll by actively suppressing evidence to help him avoid arrest.

Dawson is also facing charges of trying to smuggle methamphetamine, ecstasy, and the party drug Gamma-Butyrolactone (GBL), through Auckland International Airport earlier this year.

Dawson, and a 31-year-old woman, with interim name suppression, who has been charged with conspiring with Carroll to assault Tucker and also with being an accessory after the fact to murder.

All four accused will next appear at the High Court in Christchurch on June 24. No pleas have yet been entered.

The body of Mr Tucker, 36, was found dumped near Lake Ellesmere on Drain Rd, Doyleston on Anzac Day.

He was severely assaulted before his body was burned and then reportedly wrapped in some material, police say