Mt Eden prisoner Johnathan Trubuhovich dies after attack by another inmate, family demand answers

A homicide investigation is underway after the death of prisoner Johnathan Trubuhovich. Photo / Steven McNicholl

The family of the Mt Eden inmate who died after an alleged attack at the prison is devastated by the loss of their loved one, who they had hoped would be out before Christmas.

NZME can reveal the deceased man was Johnathan Peter Trubuhovich, 69.

He was allegedly assaulted by another prisoner on November 29 and taken to hospital with critical injuries.

Police confirmed this morning that he died yesterday and a homicide investigation was underway.

Today, a spokesperson for Trubuhovich’s family, who asked not to be named, told NZME their loss was still very “raw” and they wanted answers.

“We want the truth to come out; this should not happen.

“We thought he was safe.”

They said they did not know the full details of what had occurred.

“We don’t want hearsay or false accusations; we want the truth.

Johnathan Peter Trubuhovich died after an alleged assault at Mt Eden Corrections Facility. Photo / Michael Craig

“We are not blaming; we just want to know what happened. We don’t want to see this happen again.”

Trubuhovich was due to be sentenced on assault, shoplifting and disorderly behaviour charges on December 15.

His family had hoped the sentence would have resulted in a non-custodial sentence, seeing him released before Christmas.

The spokesperson said he would have been welcome to share the holiday with them.

They said Trubuhovich’s mental health had deteriorated in the past several years, and they had been working to find him help.

“When we got him out [hopefully] at Christmas, we hoped he would go into intense therapy and follow-up accommodation.”

Trubuhovich’s lawyer James McGilvary told NZME there was no guarantee Trubuhovich would have been out of prison before Christmas.

It would have been in the hands of the sentencing judge, he said.

Following his death, which McGilvary described as “entirely preventable”, Trubuhovich’s court hearing had been postponed to the New Year for a stay of proceedings application.

Today, Detective Senior Sergeant Friend said in a statement that Corrections had notified police about a serious assault at the prison on November 29.

Friend said police were investigating, with the results of an autopsy pending.

Al Williams is an Open Justice reporter for the New Zealand Herald, based in Christchurch. He has worked in daily and community titles in New Zealand and overseas for the last 16 years. Most recently he was editor of the Hauraki-Coromandel Post, based in Whangamatā. He was previously deputy editor of the Cook Islands News.