Nelson police are trying to piece together events in the two hours between a man being turned away from a nightclub on Saturday morning and being found with serious head injuries on a walkway.
Hayden James Kelly, 25, of Nelson, died yesterday after he had been beaten, stabbed and left on
the Collingwood Street bridge walkway about 5am on Saturday.
Two hours earlier police were called to The Loft nightclub in central Nelson after Mr Kelly had been turned away from the club.
Detective Inspector John Winter said today police wanted to speak to anyone who might have information relating to the case. It was the district's second homicide in three days.
"It is apparent Mr Kelly died from massive head injuries," he said.
Police want to know what happened to Mr Kelly between 3am and 5am.
The victim was a male Caucasian, with brown hair in thick dreadlocks. The word "seven" was written in Gothic lettering across his lower stomach.
Some witnesses had told police they heard shouting in the Maitai River area between 4am and 5am.
A motel owner, Bob Hancock, said three youths found the victim and went to his motel to raise the alarm.
The former ambulance and traffic officer said he went to help the victim and found himself confronted with the worst head and facial injuries he had seen.
The bridge remains sealed off as police forensic staff work under a canvas shelter.
Police have been combing the riverbanks and river for any evidence.
On Friday, Leslie Austin, 38, died after a fight at a camp in the Rai Valley east of Nelson. His funeral will be held in Hastings later this week.
Nelson police were also busy dealing with a serious assault near Murchison after a German tourist was found beaten and unconscious.
Tourist Florian Muszakiewicz, 25, was found with head injuries lying beside State Highway 6 near Murchison on Thursday.
Mr Muszakiewicz was found lying on his back in a rest area.
He was flown to Wellington where he underwent surgery and was put into a drug-induced coma.
His condition is not life-threatening. The victim's father has come from Germany to be with his son.
In other violent events in the South Island, a Culverden police officer was allegedly punched in the face by a North Canterbury man making a complaint on Saturday night. The man has been charged with assaulting a police officer.
Two Christchurch youths were robbed at gunpoint of their pizzas early Sunday morning in the Bryndwr suburb.
A man driving through inner Christchurch yesterday morning was forced out of his car by two men who drove off in the car. Police have found the car and are talking to two men.
- NZPA
Nelson police are trying to piece together events in the two hours between a man being turned away from a nightclub on Saturday morning and being found with serious head injuries on a walkway.
Hayden James Kelly, 25, of Nelson, died yesterday after he had been beaten, stabbed and left on
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