Divers search Petone foreshore in homicide investigation

Divers have been searching the Petone foreshore this morning as part of the investigation into the death of Craig McKelvie.

McKelvie was found with serious injuries at a property on Mason Ave in Lower Hutt on the night of October 14, and later died in hospital.

Last month police released a new image of a vehicle of interest and appealed for sightings of a black 2004 Honda Odyssey with the registration JCT923.

Now the National Police Dive Squad has been called in to complete a search of the Petone foreshore.

Detective Senior Sergeant Martin Todd said information from the public has led police to the Petone beach wharf area to search for items of interest to the investigation.

”We believe these items would assist our investigation to find out exactly what happened the night Mr McKelvie was injured.”

Police wanted to thank the members of the public who have come forward with information and assisted with the investigation so far, Todd said.

Enquiries were ongoing and police were determined to hold the person or persons responsible to account, he said.

Anyone with information about the case can contact police via 105 or Crime Stoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, quoting file number 221015/8888.

In April of this year, McKelvie was sentenced to three months home detention for assaulting an elderly man who had taken out a $10,000 hit on his head.

During the trial, Judge Davidson described McKelvie as a “career criminal”, with a criminal history that spans from the mid-1980s right up to 2021, including a conviction for attempted murder.