Shooting murder accused enters no plea

Fitzherbert St residents were shocked to hear of the incident. Photo / Greymouth Star

A 41-year-old Hokitika man made a brief appearance in court this morning to face a charge of murdering an elderly man found shot dead yesterday, alongside the body of another man.

The bodies of Frank Joseph Schist, 86, and the other man were found about 3pm yesterday at the Fitzherbert Street house in Hokitika where Mr Schist lived.

At Greymouth District Court today, the timber processing operator charged with Mr Schist's murder was granted interim name suppression.

He did not enter a plea and was remanded in custody to reappear before the court next Tuesday.

The man's lawyer, Doug Taffs, said a psychiatric report was sought in terms of his client's fitness to plead.

It is understood police are working out the details of a second charge the man is likely to face.

A woman crying in the public gallery shouted out "I love you Uncle" as he was lead away from the court.

Inspector John Canning said today that Mr Schist was a long time resident of Hokitika.

"So, he will be known to a lot of people in this town."

His family were "pretty cut up as you would expect".

Mr Canning said the second victim was still to be formally identified, "but was not unknown at the house".

The name of that person was expected to be released later today.

Mr Canning said there was a connection between the man charged and Mr Schist which he said would become clear in time.

Mr Canning said he could not go into the detail of what occurred at the house.

"To the best of my knowledge, it's got nothing to do with drugs."

A rifle had been found at the house and was to be examined.

A scene examination at the house was expected to take several hours and the bodies of the two men were likely to be taken from the house late today or early tomorrow for post-mortem examinations, he said.

Residents on the street - the main highway road in Hokitika - said they were shocked after hearing about the incident.

Hokitika was "quiet and crime-free", one woman said.

Neighbour Ann-Marie Ferguson, 18, said an elderly couple lived at the house, but she understood the woman had been ill and in hospital recently. Mr Schist was "a happy old man", who recently fixed a fence between the properties.

She had no idea who the second man was.

Police had come to Ms Ferguson's home and spoken to her but had not disclosed what took place.

Ms Ferguson said she had supplied police with contact numbers for Mr Schist's family.

Neighbour Monica Foster said the elderly couple had lived on the property for about 25 years and often had their adult children and teenage grandchildren visit.

Mr Schist's family members were last night receiving counselling from victim support following the tragedy.

- ADDITIONAL REPORTING: VAIMOANA TAPALEAO AND THE HOKITIKA GUARDIAN and NZPA