Pukekohe ‘suspicious’ death: Police name Donnie Houben as victim, family want answers

Times Place, Pukekohe, where a man was found dead in late December. Police are now treating the the death as suspicious. Photo / Dean Purcell

Police are continuing to probe the “suspicious” death of a man at a Pukekohe home, described by whānau as “the humblest man.”

Today police named the victim as Donnie Jacobus Anthony Houben, 48, who was found dead at an address on Times Pl on December 30.

Police confirmed the investigation into his death was continuing and said Houben’s family had requested privacy at this time.

Houben’s death was being treated as suspicious following results of a postmortem examination.

Many family members posted on social media messages mourning the death of Houben.

His son paid tribute to his father saying they were still coming to terms with the “sudden passing.”

“On behalf of the Houben/Hoeta family it’s with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved son, father, brother, Koro Donnie Jacobus Anthony Houben.

“As we are still coming with terms of our dad’s sudden passing, we will keep our whanau updated as we go,” the son said.

One woman described Houben as “the humblest man” and claimed he had been “taken out”.

“Such a sad way to be taken cuz now for the ones who done this come forward and put our Whānau at ease not good at all,” one woman said on social media.

Police seeking information

Police were in the Pukekohe neighbourhood going door-to-door on January 7, more than a week after Houben was found dead.

“We were home that day, our son heard screams just after midnight,” a Pukekohe local said on social media.

One woman who said Houben was her whānau told the Herald it wasn’t until “well after” the man had died that police began talking to locals about the death.

She said she originally believed the man had died of a health-related incident, and described him as a “harmless, happy-go-lucky man”

One person who lived on the street where the man died said police had asked for his security camera footage following the incident.

Houben’s immediate whānau declined to comment on his passing and said they were “still grieving.”

If you have any information contact police online or call 105, using the reference number 241230/6522.

Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

Jaime Lyth is a multimedia journalist for the New Zealand Herald, focusing on crime and breaking news. Lyth began working under the NZ Herald masthead in 2021 as a reporter for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei.