Police study security film in hunt for killers

Police are studying security camera footage taken by businesses near the flat in Feilding's Bowen St where two elderly people were found slain yesterday.

Palmerston North Detective Senior Sergeant Craig Sheridan said today police could not confirm the identities of the victims, a man and his woman friend, and would not speculate on whether a weapon was used.

"All I can tell you is that the scene at the moment is that the two elderly victims, one man, one woman, have met a violent death."

It is understood, however, the dead man was Edward Henry James Ferguson, known as Ted, who had lived in the unit for a number of years.

His relationship to the dead woman was unclear, but police say the pair were not married.

They died sometime between Friday evening and 8am yesterday in what police described as a "heinous" crime.

"A neighbour at the flats was concerned that they hadn't seen the victims for some time" and contacted police, Mr Sheridan said.

The block of 14 flats at 16 Bowen Street contains all one-bedroom units.

Manawatu District Council spokeswoman Lorraine Vincent said only pensioners occupied the flats.

She was not aware of any security issues with the flats, and said the block had a "strong sense of community".

Police are reassuring Feilding residents that the investigation was receiving the highest priority. Thirty officers are on the case.

Mr Sheridan said police had spoken to a number of the victims' relatives, but formal identifications had yet to be made.

Neighbour Ira Versey was still shocked this morning.

"He was too nice a guy (for this to happen). He was too nice, a real gentleman," she said.

She spotted nothing suspicious at the weekend.

"I never look for anything like that.

"People use the drive (which runs up the side of the flats) as a shortcut, so there are always people coming and going."

ESR scientists and a pathologist were at the scene today, police said.

Police were briefed this morning and were out this afternoon knocking on neighbours' doors.

Neighbours spoken to yesterday were shocked a homicide could happen in their quiet street.

Six months ago pensioner Mona Morriss, 83, was slain in her home at Marton, 25km from Feilding.

Police have yet to find her killer but say that it is too early to link the two incidents.

The bodies remained in the flat this morning.

Police working on the killings dubbed Operation Rain have appealed for witnesses.

- nzpa