A post-mortem examination will be held today after a man was found beaten to death on a suburban Christchurch street yesterday morning.
It is the fourth homicide in Christchurch in eight days.
A security patrol discovered the body of the homeless man lying on the Sydenham street about 7.20am.
The victim, who is believed to be in his 20s, had suffered extensive injuries to his head and body.
Detective Senior Sergeant Colin Dalzell, a member of the investigating team, said police believed the man was a vagrant who slept rough in the Waltham area, but he was yet to be positively identified.
Three other people murdered in Christchurch in the past eight days were:
* Dennis Stephen, 67, January 31;
* Ordette Lloyd-Rangiuia, 45, February 1; and
* Darryn McRobert, 36, February 3.
Arrests have been made in each of these cases but after Mr McRobert's death police acknowledged the inquiries had put their resources under some strain.
- NZPA
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