Swanson death: Man charged with murder in court

Police found David Keith Yates, 65, dead at a property in Swanson on Saturday morning. Photo / Hayden Woodward

A man accused of killing David Keith Yates at a West Auckland property on the weekend has appeared in court.

Sixty-five-year-old Yates was found dead at a home on Candia Rd on Saturday morning around 10.30am.

A 31-year-old accused was initially charged with assault and resisting a police officer.

Yesterday, police laid a further charge of murder.

Police allege Yates was murdered between November 12 and 13 by the man.

He appeared in the Waitākere District Court this morning via audio-visual link.

He did not speak or engage with Judge Glibb, and did not acknowledge if he could hear and understand the proceedings.

His lawyer Nicholas Wintour told the court the man also refused to engage with him, and he wanted to order a psychiatric assessment of the defendant.

The defendant was granted interim name suppression and remanded in custody until his next appearance at the High Court in Auckland on December 8.

Police said they are not seeking anyone else in relation to the Yates' death.

They said that Yates and the defendant were known to each other.