Name of man found dead in Bunnythorpe released

The partner of a man found dead in a house near Palmerston North has shared her anguish about losing him - and the pain of now trying to explain his death to their three children.

Codi Jarmen Wilkinson, 27, has officially been identified as the body found in Bunnythorpe on Friday night. He is said to have been living in the Manawatū area at the time of his death.

His partner, the mother of his three young sons, paid tribute to him in a heartbreaking social media post.

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"As hard as this is, it's true. I lost the love of my life of 10 years, the father of my three children and I'm still yet to believe it.

"It doesn't feel real and I'm not sure how I'll get through the rest of my life without him by my side.

"I've been robbed of my soul, my kids have been robbed of their dad. How the hell am I going to explain to them what the f*** happened? I've still got so many questions that need answers.''

Wilkinson's partner - who shared photos of the couple with their young children - also touched on the tragic circumstances of his death.

'I'M SOULLESS WITHOUT MY SOULMATE'

"I'm so hurt by the fact that I couldn't help and be by his side to hold him [and] hear his voice telling me: 'I love you, babe'.

"He meant so much to me and our boys and this is going to affect us in so many ways for the rest of our lives.''

Police did not reveal any other details about the circumstances of Wilkinson's death; only saying that they were liaising with his family during this difficult time.

"A scene examination of the property where his body was found and the surrounding areas is ongoing,'' a police statement said.

The news comes after police said a body had been found on the grounds of a residential address in Bunnythorpe on Friday night.

Police said at the time that they had "considerable concern" about the circumstances surrounding the man's death.

Wilkinson's partner earlier posted on Facebook calling for anyone who may know of her partner's whereabouts over the last two weeks.

"I'm soulless without my soulmate by my side," she wrote.

It was believed the man found had been missing for more than two weeks.

Police guarded the property overnight, on Friday, before a scene examination was carried out on Saturday and Sunday.

A police spokeswoman earlier said a post-mortem examination was completed on Sunday. Due to results from that post mortem, a homicide investigation was launched.

"The man sustained serious injuries and while we are not able to detail the exact injuries, we are determined to find those responsible for his death," she said.