Police are asking for the public’s help finding a knife or “similar sharp object” in relation to the death of 52-year-old Craig McKelvie in October as part of their investigations.
Police are also still trying to find a black car, likely a station wagon or SUV. Detective senior sergeant Martin said, “this is a vehicle of interest, captured on CCTV footage in the Moera area around the time Mr McKelvie was at Mason St.
“We are wanting assistance from members of the community to identify the vehicle and the occupant or occupants of it on Friday 14 October.”
Police are seeking to identify a black-coloured vehicle of interest, likely a station wagon or SUV, in relation to the death of Craig McKelvie. Photo / Supplied
Police were called to a house on Mason St on the night of Friday October 14, where they found McKelvie had been seriously assaulted. He later died in hospital.
Todd said residents of the Moera area in Lower Hutt could assist Police by checking their yards for a knife or “sharp article” that looks out of place.
McKelvie was killed after a serious assault was a “career criminal” who poured petrol over an elderly victim last year and hit him with a hammer.
Todd said police believe friends or associates of McKelvie may hold information that could help in this investigation.
“We would like to hear from anyone who spoke with him in the days before his death,” Todd said.
In April of this year, McKelvie was sentenced to three months home detention for assaulting an elderly man who had taken out a $10,000 hit on his head.
Craig McKelvie died in hospital on the night of Friday 14 October. Photo / Supplied
During the trial, Judge Davidson described McKelvie as a “career criminal”, with a criminal history that spans from the mid-1980s right up to 2021, including a conviction for attempted murder.
On the evening of May 3, 2021, McKelvie and an associate went to the address where an elderly man, his victim, was visiting.
Throwing petrol on the man, McKelvie described the threatening act as impulsive. The pair then assaulted the victim, punching and slapping him in the face and striking him with a hammer.
McKelvie’s victim suffered significant injuries including burns to the stomach, neck and forearm as well as bruising from the physical attack.
The court heard that McKelvie denied involvement in a number of acts outlined in the summary of facts, including the throwing of the scalding hot water, the striking of the man with a wheel brace and the theft of a credit card.
In December 2005, McKelvie kidnapped a woman who was forced to watch as her dog was shot in front of her.
Craig Mckelvie had a price on his head when he assaulted his elderly victim. Photo / File
The 20-year-old woman was exercising her crossbred dog Iwi in a Riverbank St park when McKelvie allegedly drove up in a car, pointed a sawn-off shotgun at her and ordered her and the dog into the vehicle.
They were then taken to an isolated part of the Akatarawa Cemetery, where McKelvie allegedly loaded the gun and allegedly pointed it at the woman before shooting the dog.
McKelvie pleaded not guilty to seven charges including kidnapping, threatening to kill and wilfully ill-treating an animal, and the Wellington District Court judge had no choice but to dismiss the charges after the complainant failed to show up to court.
Information can be given to Police via 105, referencing file number 221015/8888 and clicking “Update My Report”, or anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111 or online via www.crimestoppers-nz.org.
