Pukehina deaths: Police urge people from Old Coach Rd property to come forward

Anyone who was at a Bay of Plenty property in the hours before a man and woman were reported dead there is being urged to contact police.

Police say examinations of the rural property on Old Coach Rd, Pukehina, where police were called on New Year’s Day, are ongoing.

Eastern Bay of Plenty Police area investigations manager Detective Senior Sergeant Paul Wilson previously said police were notified about 3pm on Thursday of the woman’s death at the property.

Officers were made aware about 2.10am Friday of the man’s death in a separate house at the site.

Police were treating the man’s death as unexplained.

A 50-year-old man was charged with assault of a person in a family relationship over the woman’s death.

Wilson earlier said further charges or arrests had not been ruled out.

A police spokeswoman today said scene examinations continued at an Old Coach Rd address and autopsies for the deceased would be performed in due course.

She said police continued to urge anyone who was at the property between 7pm on New Year’s Eve and 3am on Friday to “please come forward”.

Anyone with any information about what happened was asked to phone the police on 105 or to file an online 105 report, quoting reference file number 260101/9901.

People can also make a report anonymously via the Crimestoppers line on 0800 555 111.

Sandra Conchie is a senior journalist at the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post who has been a journalist for 25 years. She mainly covers police, court and other justice stories, as well as general news. She has been a Canon Media Awards regional/community reporter of the year.