A man in his 70s was shot and died at the scene. Police have now launched a homicide investigation. Video / NZ Herald
One of three men charged with murder following the fatal shooting of an elderly Auckland man in his own home can be named.
Auckland Prison inmate Lasalosi Vaitohi, 30, lost his battle for name suppression at the High Court in Auckland.
Vaitohi, along with an 18-year-old and 22-year-old who cannotbe named, were charged with murder four months after the death of Peter Rasmussen, 75, in Ōtāhuhu.
Meanwhile prison inmate Amit Singh, 31, has been charged with conspiring with Vaitohi to injure a woman, a week prior to Rasmussen's death.
Rasmussen died in his home of many years on Princes St East, just days before his birthday.
He was a stalwart of the Ōtāhuhu Rovers Rugby League Football Club for about 60 years, where he was a coach, "old boy" and life member.
"Everyone looked up to him and waited for his comments after a game of course, which were always straight to the point," club president Wallace Dumper said at the time of his death.
