Nicholas Mitchell death: Rotorua woman charged with helping murder-accused avoid arrest

A homicide investigation has been launched following the death of a man in Rotorua. Inset: Nicholas Mitchell. Photo / Ben Fraser

A woman has been accused of helping to hide a man now charged with the murder of Nicholas Mitchell in Fordlands, Rotorua.

The woman, who has interim name suppression, appeared before a Rotorua District Court registrar this morning charged with being an accessory after the fact of murder.

Police allege she transported a man and hid him from police to enable him to avoid arrest between December 12 and 18.

The woman entered no plea to the charge through duty lawyer Tumanako Silveira.

She was remanded on bail to reappear in the Rotorua District Court on January 20.

The charge she faces carries a maximum prison sentence of seven years.

The 28-year-old man charged with murder appeared in the Rotorua District Court on December 19 and was granted interim name suppression until his next appearance on February 5 in the High Court.

Nicholas Mitchell photographed several years ago. Photo / Supplied

Mitchell, 37, died after crashing into a tree on Ford Rd about 8.30pm on December 12.

Police said his injuries were not consistent with a crash but have not disclosed further information about how he was believed to have died.

Kelly Makiha is a senior journalist who has reported for the Rotorua Daily Post for more than 25 years, covering mainly police, court, human interest and social issues.