Elderly Korean woman murdered in South Auckland

By AINSLEY THOMSON

An elderly Korean woman, who had been in New Zealand for less than seven months, is the third person to be murdered in South Auckland in less than three weeks.

Ok Kwan Roh, 78, died on Monday night, five days after she was admitted to Middlemore Hospital with head injuries.

Police said a murder inquiry began on Tuesday after an autopsy confirmed Mrs Roh had died as a result of "blunt force trauma".

Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Gutry, from Counties Manukau police, said Mrs Roh was living with her family in Howick at the time of her injury.

Police are interviewing her family, friends and associates.

Mr Gutry said the Counties Manukau police were stretched after the three murders. Mrs Roh's murder follows the death of Punoua Cecil at a Papatoetoe service station on March 2 and the death of Ed Coffin after an assault on March 12 outside a fast food restaurant in Papatoetoe.