Death of man in building 'not suspicious'

BRIAN Francis Flynn, the 56-year-old man found dead in his Ridgway St apartment, was a quiet but friendly man, neighbours say.
Police are no longer treating the death as suspicious following a post-mortem examination completed in Palmerston North yesterday evening.
Mr Flynn's body was found by friends in his apartment early yesterday afternoon, and was removed from the scene under close police supervision about 1.15pm yesterday.
Forensic investigators also examined Mr Flynn's two-storey apartment above Bling It On.
The Chronicle understands Mr Flynn, who was previously based in Wellington, moved to Wanganui about three years ago, but had a long association with the city.
In the mid-'90s he received a government contract with his brother John to renovate about 200 state houses in the city.
A sub-contractor who worked on the project said the Flynn brothers were "real men's men".
"They did the rougher stuff themselves and got in amongst it on the houses. They were pretty good operators & they would always have a drink with the boys."
Mr Flynn had begun renovating the apartment blocks he owned above the Wanganui Hotel, where the Chronicle understands he lived.
Carl Perkins, of Wanganui band House Of Shem, said Mr Flynn was an inspirational figure.
"There was so much love coming from that man. He played a big part in our success, and he had so much to offer this community."
House Of Shem practiced in the Wanganui Hotel, and Mr Flynn often took in people when they had nowhere else to turn, Mr Perkins said.
"The man had a heart for people, and there's so much love and respect going out for him right now."
The area surrounding his apartment, including the car park on St Hill St and the Wanganui Hotel, remained cordoned off during the scene examination.
Security was tight as the body was removed from the building in the early afternoon, with police using tarpaulins and sheets to block the doorway as it was loaded into a hearse.
Neighbouring business operators described Mr Flynn as a quiet man.
While few knew him well, they recognised him as he walked by and would say hello.
"He was in here all the time & he was just a guy really. He'd buy what he needed and then leave," one said. "He'd spend a lot of time hanging around the streets. He would walk up and down, not all day, but quite a bit," another said.
Staff at nearby cafes said Mr Flynn was always polite.
"He was a lovely guy. He'd come in on his own, or with other people sometimes, and have coffee or breakfast," one woman said.
She said Mr Flynn had breakfast at her caf? over the weekend, and, as always, "seemed like a nice guy". The death has been referred to the coroner.