Whanganui Chronicle
  • Whanganui Chronicle home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology

Locations

  • Taranaki
  • National Park
  • Whakapapa
  • Ohakune
  • Raetihi
  • Taihape
  • Marton
  • Feilding
  • Palmerston North

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • New Plymouth
  • Whanganui
  • Palmertson North
  • Levin

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Whanganui Chronicle

Man appears in court on charges after handing himself in for questioning over suspected double homicide

Whanganui Chronicle
25 Dec, 2025 10:58 PMQuick Read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article
The man appeared in court on December 26. Photo / NZME

The man appeared in court on December 26. Photo / NZME

A man who handed himself in to police for questioning over the suspected double homicide of a farming couple has appeared in court.

The bodies of Brendon and Trina Cole were discovered on the driveway of their Ruatiti home along Murumuru Rd near Whanganui National Park, on December 13.

A man was named a person of interest over the suspected double homicide, which was followed by a nearly two-week search for him.

Central District Commander Superintendent Dion Bennett said the man had presented himself to the Whanganui Police Station about 1.30pm on Christmas Day, and was arrested on an active warrant.

“Police on ground in the area will now be making further inquiries in the investigation,” Bennett said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The man appeared before a Justice of the Peace on Friday. The Whanganui Chronicle was denied entry to the court to cover the hearing by security staff.

Court staff said the man was remanded in custody, with another court appearance scheduled for January 27.

Suppressions put in place during the hearing were likely to be reviewed at that date.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save
    Share this article

Latest from Whanganui Chronicle

Reviews

Young opera stars dazzle in packed museum recital

07 Jan 09:55 PM
Whanganui Chronicle

'Rinse and repeat': More dry days on way

07 Jan 08:44 PM
Whanganui Chronicle

'Something for everyone' at Vintage Weekend

07 Jan 05:00 PM

Sponsored

The Bay’s secret advantage

07 Dec 09:54 PM
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Whanganui Chronicle

Young opera stars dazzle in packed museum recital
Reviews

Young opera stars dazzle in packed museum recital

Four rising talents, backed by maestro Bruce Greenfield, filled the museum.

07 Jan 09:55 PM
'Rinse and repeat': More dry days on way
Whanganui Chronicle

'Rinse and repeat': More dry days on way

07 Jan 08:44 PM
'Something for everyone' at Vintage Weekend
Whanganui Chronicle

'Something for everyone' at Vintage Weekend

07 Jan 05:00 PM


The Bay’s secret advantage
Sponsored

The Bay’s secret advantage

07 Dec 09:54 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Whanganui Chronicle e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Whanganui Chronicle
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • NZME Events
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2026 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP