Kiwi singer hit with 'object' before death

Tony Williams. Photo / Supplied

Christmas has been shattered for the family of a New Zealand man bashed to death on the Gold Coast.

Tony Lee Williams, 38, was found dead at an apartment complex in Mermaid Waters, just south of Surfers Paradise, at 2pm on Christmas Eve.

Last night, police said that Mr Williams' death followed an altercation, during which he was hit with an "object".

"He was struck around the head and the body and as a result of those injuries he has died," said Detective Superintendent David Hutchinson.

Mr Williams was the lead singer of a band, Sex 'n' Chocolate, that played weekly at a local nightclub.

When he did not turn up for a regular gig a friend and his wife went to the Sunshine Boulevard complex and found Mr Williams dead in the lounge.

There was no sign of forced entry and Mr Hutchinson said police had not yet determined a motive for the brutal assault.

Mr Williams is from Mt Maunganui and had been living in Australia for about 10 years. He was working as a porterage officer for Queensland Health.

A tent was set up near where Mr Williams' body was found so his family could gather and mourn. Forensic experts and police remained at the scene.

A 36-year-old who lives close by told a Gold Coast newspaper that he made a call to police.

"I was just cooking lunch around 2pm and heard a guy yelling, 'Don't go inside, don't go inside'," said the man, who did not want to be named.

"He was shaking really badly and couldn't really stand properly, I guess he was in shock and just overwhelmed."

Mr Williams has a young son named Harlem and a daughter named Lyric, born in 2009.

Harlem's grandmother Dianne Dewson said the news was terrible.

"We are all devastated," she wrote on her Facebook page. "Tony u will b missed andyou have left a legacy behind you. Pleasepray that person or persons responsible willb brought to justice. There are a lot ofbrokenhearted people here ..."

Mr Williams' band played every Thursday night at East nightclub in Broadbeach. He played his last gig there on Thursday night and was photographed at the bar.

The club's owner also left an online tribute.

"Very sad news today with the sudden passing of Tony from Sex 'n' Chocolate. A great guy who will be missed by all of the East family, of which I considered him to be part of," wrote East owner James Tweddell.

"I am in Bali and only getting little bits of news from my team. What I do know is that it is a tragic loss. At the appropriate time I definitely will be doing something to honour Tony and help out his family."

Friends also took to Facebook to pay tribute.

Ani Rubuano said Mr Williams' death was not fair.

"It's so unfair that someone can take another's life. So many people left shattered. Again, children left without their father," she posted.

"Sing us songs from heaven. Watch your children grow from above and see how everyone down below never ever forgets you ... Such a horrible unfair loss to touch all our lives ... I can't believe this has happened."

Dani Fitch posted: "Broke my heart, such talent, such a waste."

Friend Jackson Douglas wrote on Sex 'n' Chocolate's MySpace page, saying he was "shellshocked" by the news of Mr Williams' death.