Police investigating the death of a man whose body was found inside a car have visited his former address and interviewed nearby residents as part of the homicide inquiry.
Richard Leman’s body was found inside his car, parked in a garage on Tyler St, Rangiora, on April 17. Police then began a homicide inquiry.
The Herald understands police visited block of apartments in Rolleston on Thursday evening speaking to residents asking about comings and goings from Leman’s former flat.
It’s understood Leman moved in late last year and moved out about a month before his death.
An agent connected with the apartment declined to comment to the Herald, but said Leman was not on the lease for the property.
The Herald recently visited the block of apartments. Leman’s former apartment appeared empty, with residents declining to comment on Leman.
On Friday, police began searching a property on Andrew St, Rangiora. Staff are carrying out a thorough search of the property, a short distance from where Leman was found.
Detective Senior Sergeant Tania Jellyman said police were likely to remain there for “several days”.
Police raided the property in the days after Leman’s body was found.
The owner of the property earlier told the Herald he was yet to be contacted by police regarding the raid, but was aware police were at his home. He said his daughter lived there.
He last drove past the property days before the raid and said it looked “like Fort Knox”.
The woman’s mother told the Herald she had spoken to her daughter. She said she was doing okay and was not involved in what had happened.
“No, she was friends with him, but no, definitely not.”
A neighbour said he saw a white van and two cars parked outside the woman’s house late on Monday night after Leman’s body was found.
By 6am the next day they were gone.
He said he had previously seen Leman at the property.
A couple living nearby said they had seen the white Nissan Fuga at the property on several occasions.
“I had seen it around here a few times, different times of night,” the man said.
It can also be reported Leman was being managed by Corrections at the time of his death.
Corrections’ acting operations director Toni Stewart confirmed to the Herald that Leman was under their management, but was not subject to electronic monitoring.
“To avoid compromising the active Police investigation, we are limited in what further information we can provide at this stage.”
Detective Inspector Joel Syme earlier said a homicide inquiry into Leman’s death was continuing, with investigators concentrating on his last known movements and the movements of his vehicle in the days before it was found in Tyler St.
“Anyone who saw a 2000s-model white Nissan Fuga in the area in the week leading up to Monday 17 April is asked to get in touch with police,” he said.
Police also extended their sympathies to the family and friends of Leman.
Leman, 41, had been missing for more than a week, with multiple social media posts shared by his family seeking sightings and information.
On the evening of April 17, a car linked to him was found in a garage in Tyler St, with a man’s body inside.
Last week, Leman’s sister Nicky Leman posted on Facebook confirming her brother was dead.
“The time has come, the Leman family now has official confirmation, that our much-loved Richard will not be coming home to us as we had hoped and prayed for,” she wrote.
“He has been taken away from us well before his time. We will never receive Richard’s bear hugs again. He will never see his children grow up or watch them play rugby or soccer again.”
Leman was a “proud and devoted father” of his three sons, aged 10 and younger. He was also an “adored son”, a “much-loved little brother” and a “doting uncle”, she said.
She asked anyone with information to contact police.
The family asked for donations in lieu of flowers to help with his funeral costs and to cover expenses, as he did not have insurance. Any excess funds would go directly to his three sons.
Last week more than 15 officers could be seen in the area, going from door to door and talking to residents.
A police spokesperson confirmed staff were “out canvassing in relation to the homicide inquiry”.
Syme earlier said police were conducting “extensive inquiries” to determine what led to Leman’s death.
“We are committed to establishing what has occurred and locate those responsible for this man’s death.”
Before the discovery of his body, Leman’s sister Kim Leman Bennett posted on Facebook that he was last seen at a shopping centre in Rangiora at 8.20pm on April 11.
Leman had been staying in the Sefton and Rangiora area.
“Police have been notified … We have grave concerns for his safety and mental health,” his sister posted.
“Someone out there must know something, we just need to know and want him home.”
Leman Bennett earlier declined to comment.
She said in her earlier post that Leman “may look rough and tough” but he was “a big baby at heart and a mummy’s boy”.
The fact he had not called his mother in more than a week was concerning because he usually spoke to her every day.
“Our little brother has the kindest heart, loves his children, loves his family and would do anything to help others,” Leman Bennett said.
“We just want him home.”
The house where the body was found is owned by Kāinga Ora and appears to be unoccupied.
It is unkempt and overgrown, with smashed windows and others boarded up.
A Tyler St resident said the house was sold a couple of months ago.
He said he had never seen the car before and the garage door was shut a day before the body was found.
Another resident who walks her dog past the house every day said a woman and a young boy were on the grass on the property on the Monday afternoon.
Another neighbour told the Herald that a young man spoke to his mother-in-law earlier on the day when the body was discovered, and asked if she knew anything about a stolen vehicle that was parked in the garage where the body was found. The garage door was shut at the time.