Police today launched a homicide inquiry after a man died at a rural property near Taumarunui in the central North Island.
It appeared the local man, who turned 59 yesterday, had been hit by a motor vehicle, Taumarunui Detective Sergeant Graeme Rumble said.
Members of the man's family were being interviewed.
His body would be removed from the property, 16km north of Taumarunui, later today and a post-mortem carried out, Mr Rumble said in a statement.
Police were called to a domestic incident at the property around 1am today and found the body.
- NZPA
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