New leads in murdered farmer inquiry

Three of the puppies whose siblings were stolen the hours before their owner Scott Guy was murdered. Photo / NZPA

Police are today following up calls about three puppies stolen from the Feilding property of farmer Scott Guy in the hours before he was gunned down.

Police Central Districts spokeswoman Kim Perks told NZPA today appeals over the puppies had elicited about a dozen calls from members of the public.

The chocolate-coloured labrador pups, worth up to $800 each, may hold the key as to why the 31-year-old man was shot dead in his farm driveway two weeks ago.

Police displayed the puppies' siblings at a media conference yesterday and said they were trying to establish whether the theft was linked to Mr Guy's death.

They were last seen on Mr Guy's property on Aorangi Rd, south of Feilding, on the evening of July 7. Mr Guy was found dead of gunshot wounds the next morning.

"Police are working through those calls now," she said.

The puppies were among a litter of eight housed in an outbuilding on the property about 80m from where Mr Guy was shot.

He was killed sometime between 4am and 7am.

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 listed theirs for about $700.

Police were asking people who had seen the advertisement they had posted for the sale of the puppies and called the number to come forward.

Police said anyone who took the puppies should also 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.

Police said he had got up early as usual to go milking on the day of his murder 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.

- NZPA