Man accused of Wanganui river murder named

Whetu Hansen. Photo / Supplied

The man accused of murdering Wanganui man Whetu Hansen and dumping his body in the Whanganui River can now be named.

He is 57-year-old Neil Raymond Swain from Linton.

Justice Brendan Brown this morning confirmed name suppression had lapsed during Swain's murder trial in the High Court at Palmerston North.

Whetu Hansen was last seen filling up his grey Falcon ute on the afternoon of November 24, 2013.

Crown lawyers allege the 57-year-old accused shot Mr Hansen multiple times in the head at close range while Mr Hansen sat in his grey Falcon ute on the accused's Akers Rd property at Linton on November 24.

A witness told Crown Prosecutor Ben Vanderkolk yesterday Swain showed up at his house later that night saying he'd shot Mr Hansen during an argument over equipment he had taken.

The witness, who has name suppression, said Swain told him he planned to seal the body inside a 44 gallon drum and dump it into the Whanganui River.

He said Swain brought him a watch and two rings belonging to Mr Hansen and asked him to get rid of them.