Three of the puppies whose siblings were stolen the hours before their owner Scott Guy was murdered. Photo / NZPA
Police baffled by the murder of Manawatu farmer Scott Guy have increased the number of staff working on the case.
Mr Guy, 31, was found dead in the driveway of his home on Aorangi Rd, south of Feilding, on July 8.
A post-mortem examination confirmed he died from several gunshot
wounds.
On Wednesday, police said they were investigating whether the disappearance of three chocolate labrador from Mr Guy's property on the day of his death was linked to the murder.
Police Central Districts spokeswoman Kim Perks told NZPA today appeals over the puppies had elicited about 25 calls from members of the public and 37 staff were now engaged in the hunt for his killer.
The puppies were among a litter of eight housed in an outbuilding on the property about 80m from where Mr Guy was shot.
The puppies were last seen about 5pm the previous day when they were fed by a family member.
Chocolate labrador puppies are worth anything between $100 to $800 each, depending on breeding.
The Guys had advertised six of the litter for sale on flyers in local businesses, for about $700 each.
Police were asking people who had seen the advertisement and called the number to come forward.
Police are yet to establish a motive for the murder and are looking into Mr Guy's background.
Mr Guy left a wife Kylee - pregnant with a child due in September - and a two-year-old son.
On the day of his murder, he had got up early as usual to go milking and drove his ute to the end of his driveway.
He stopped and walked around to the front of the ute, and it was then that he was shot and killed, some time between 4am and 7am, police said.
Inquiry head Detective Inspector Sue Schwalger said anyone with information, no matter how irrelevant they thought it might be, should call police.
- NZPA
