Taupō man appears in Rotorua District Court charged with murder of Kinloch man

Rotorua Courthouse. Photo / Andrew Warner

A Taupō man has appeared in the Rotorua District Court accused of murdering a man earlier this month.

The man, who cannot yet be identified, did not enter a plea to a charge of murdering Brodie John Arthur Ruatara at Taupō on August 12.

His lawyer Matthew Jenkins, who appeared on behalf of counsel Andy Hill, asked for interim name suppression for his client until his next appearance.

Judge Bill Lawson agreed and remanded the man in custody to reappear in the High Court on September 15, when name suppression would be addressed.

Police initially advised on August 13 in a statement they were investigating the sudden death of a man in Taupō and a person had been charged with assault. He appeared in the Rotorua District Court on August 18 and was remanded in custody.

Today, police said an additional charge of murder was filed against a man in his 20s as a result of their investigation.

Ruatara was found at his home in Kinloch on August 13 following an alleged assault the day before, police said in their statement today.

Police were unable to comment further as the matter was now before the court.

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.