KEY POINTS:
A businessman accused of murdering a drug dealer known as Granite eyeballed Tauranga's top detective during a court appearance yesterday.
Name suppression for Brett Michael Ashby was lifted by the Tauranga District Court, allowing the Herald to reveal the identity of the 49-year-old company director charged last week
with murder.
However, details of Ashby's home and business remain suppressed, partly for protection of his family.
Ashby allegedly killed Granite, whose real name is Grant Trevor Adams, in December 2005.
Police yesterday finished digging up a body at the Wairakei geothermal power station near Taupo which they believe is that of Adams.
Detective Senior Sergeant Greg Turner would not reveal the state in which the body was found but said on Monday that it was being retrieved in parts.
An autopsy is to be carried out on the remains in Auckland today and officers are to stay at the power station for the next couple of days to complete a scene examination.
Mr Turner, who is head of Tauranga's criminal investigation bureau, was in court yesterday and sitting in the public gallery when Ashby fixed his gaze on him.
Ashby stared at Mr Turner for several minutes, causing others in the courtroom to turn to see who he was looking at as lawyers made submissions on whether suppression should still apply.
At Ashby's first appearance late last week he was granted interim name suppression and suppression of his home and business details to allow him time to inform relatives and clients.
Crown prosecutor Simon Bridges yesterday argued that it was in the public interest to lift suppression of all the details to "materially assist" police in their investigation.
Police had earlier strongly opposed suppression and Mr Turner told the Herald they now hoped the fact that Ashby's name was public would prompt more witnesses to come forward.
Ashby's lawyer, Chris Tennet, asked for suppression to be continued, saying revealing his address could endanger his family if any of Adams' associates took it on themselves to take action against Ashby.
"This is not a case where, as often happens, somebody has killed someone and been arrested straight away," Mr Tennet said.
Ashby's arrest followed a revelation by police last month that they suspected Adams had been murdered.
They said Adams was a seller and manufacturer of methamphetamine, and sources in the criminal underworld had told them he had been killed for ripping off another dealer.
Judge Peter Rollo remanded Ashby in custody until August 14 for a predepositions hearing.
Ashby blew kisses to his partner, Joanne Taylor, and their teenage daughter as he left the dock.
His daughter cried during the proceedings and was comforted by her mother.
Outside court, Ms Taylor said: "He's innocent."
She would not comment further, other than to say that the family's situation had been "haywire" since Ashby's arrest during an armed offenders squad raid on Thursday.
Adams was 29 when he disappeared.
He was reported missing by his mother in April last year.
THE CHARGES
* Brett Ashby is charged with murdering Grant Trevor Adams - 'Granite' - on or about December 14, 2005.
* Ashby also faces one charge of manufacturing methamphetamine between January 1, 2005, and June 28 last year.