'The most solid person who's ever worked for me', employee's shock after grisly discovery

Police were called to a property at McNally Rd, Pukekohe, on Wednesday morning. Photo / Google Maps

A man living at a Pukekohe house where a person was found dead and another critically injured is a top employee who was shocked at the grisly discovery, his employer says.

Police went to the McNally Rd house just after 9am yesterday to make some inquiries. .

Police are yet to confirm what happened, but Stuff reported a person was found dead in a car in the property's backyard when police checked for a man on electronically monitored bail.

The man who lives at the house, with his wife and five children, is employed by Shannon Chambers of Total Access Ltd.

Chambers told the Herald the employee - who was not connected to the discovery - was "the most solid person that has every worked for me".

Given the man's work ethic and dedication to the company, Chambers said he decided to buy the family a house in September last year.

"He's worked for me for a long time."

He said the couple had never owned their own place and always been in rough accommodation.

"I think they were living in Otara or something, I dropped them off from the airport one day, and said 'oh you can't live here' so I went and bought him a house at Pukekohe."

Chambers said he had spoken to his employee and his wife, last night and this morning, and said they were still in the dark about what happened and who was involved.

"The police have told them nothing."

He said he didn't believe his wife or the kids were at home when police turned up.

The man got a phone call from her about 9.30am before ringing him.

"He rang me to say, 'I've got to go'. He was pretty upset."

Police, who said they would give a further update this afternoon, were treating the person's death as "unexplained".

An autopsy was being carried out today.

The injured man was in a critical condition in Middlemore Hospital and a scene guard was in place overnight, police said.

Annyone who had information about what happened is asked to call the Counties Manukau Crime Squad on (09) 261 1321.