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

Missing Wanganui man case upgraded to homicide

Staff reporter
Whanganui Chronicle·
9 Dec, 2013 11:12 PM2 mins to 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

A man arrested during a search for missing Wanganui man Whetu Teaola Hansen is behind bars but police have yet to arrest anyone for his killing.

Mr Hansen, 48, has been missing since November 24 and armed police have been searching a Linton property for days.

Manawatu police announced yesterday the inquiry had been upgraded to a murder investigation, but say they are yet arrest anyone in connection with Mr Hansen's death.

The arrested man appeared in Palmerston North District Court where a JP imposed sweeping suppression orders relating to name, age, address and the charges he faces. He was remanded in custody to December 17.

Earlier yesterday, Detective Senior Sergeant Simon Harrison said: "Based on information we have received in the past 12 hours we have upgraded this inquiry to a homicide investigation.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"While I am not prepared to divulge the nature of the information for investigative reasons, this is a significant turning point for our investigation and this information has further confirmed our serious concerns around Mr Hansen's disappearance."

Police say Mr Hansen was seen driving a grey primer-coloured 1980 Ford ute, registration JM9538, on the day he went missing.

The vehicle was located at a property in Linton last Thursday.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Armed guards have been posted outside the house during a scene examination.

Police still do not know who is responsible for Mr Hansen's disappearance, but every effort was being made to answers to these questions, Mr Harrison said.

"We are continuing to make inquiries and one of our main focuses is on locating Mr Hansen so we can return him to his family."

Though no one has been arrested in relation to Mr Hansen's death, police are keeping an open mind as to who is responsible.

Discover more

Have you seen this vehicle?

09 Dec 05:26 PM

Missing man had long list of enemies: Former friend

09 Dec 05:59 PM

Army assist police in search for missing man

13 Dec 08:00 PM
New Zealand

Man charged with murder of missing man

13 May 02:28 AM

"To protect the integrity of our inquiries I will not be making any comment on individuals of interest to this investigation."

Police were making good progress with the scene examination at the Linton property.

"Officers working on the investigation have been encouraged by the support from the public, and we are still keen to hear from anyone that may have any information about sightings of the vehicle or any other information that could assist us with our investigation," Mr Harrison said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Dave Wilson (06) 213 9595.

Information can also be provided anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. APNZ

Save
    Share this article

Latest from Whanganui Chronicle

Whanganui Chronicle

Papakāinga builder stands for Māori Ward seat

15 Sep 03:00 AM
Whanganui Chronicle

Council rejects $70k fix for Māori Ward botch-up

14 Sep 11:04 PM
Whanganui Chronicle

Are you in the right industry? The Kiwi jobs where the median wage is over $100k

14 Sep 09:03 PM

Sponsored

Kiwi campaign keeps on giving

07 Sep 12:00 PM
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Whanganui Chronicle

Papakāinga builder stands for Māori Ward seat
Whanganui Chronicle

Papakāinga builder stands for Māori Ward seat

Kiritahi Firmin is one of five candidates vying for two Whanganui Māori Ward seats.

15 Sep 03:00 AM
Council rejects $70k fix for Māori Ward botch-up
Whanganui Chronicle

Council rejects $70k fix for Māori Ward botch-up

14 Sep 11:04 PM
Are you in the right industry? The Kiwi jobs where the median wage is over $100k
Whanganui Chronicle

Are you in the right industry? The Kiwi jobs where the median wage is over $100k

14 Sep 09:03 PM


Kiwi campaign keeps on giving
Sponsored

Kiwi campaign keeps on giving

07 Sep 12:00 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 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP