Man believed to be Kiwi dies in Sydney after critical injuries

A male is deceased in suspicious circumstances in Riverwood, Sydney. A large crime scene has been established and examined by forensic services./ Photo Newslimited

A man believed to be a Kiwi has died in Australia after being found on the ground with critical injuries in a suburb of Sydney.

New South Wales Police are now appealing for information on the victim, who is yet to be formally identified.

Australian media have named him as Roddy Carino, however, saying he is also known as Roddy Ripley.

Sydney newspaper The Daily Telegraph said he was found unconscious with head injuries in Price Lane, Riverwood. Australian broadcaster 9NEWS also reported Mr Carino was understood to be a New Zealander.

The Telegraph said that Mr Carino is believed to be a painter in his 20s from New Zealand and has a 3-year-old child.

Friends told the Sydney Morning Herald he grew up around Riverwood and went to school in the area before moving away.

They told the newspaper that he had just moved back into the area in the past two months.

One of them said a Maori ceremony was planned to "farewell his spirit".

"We say a prayer, sing a song in our language and the men do a haka," a friend of Mr Carino told the Sydney Morning Herald.

"It's just a cleansing to send him off so we don't leave him here."

Mr Carino's parents reportedly live in Newcastle and were now on their way to Sydney.

New South Wales Police could not confirm to the New Zealand Herald this afternoon if the victim was from New Zealand.

In a media release earlier today, Police said the victim was found with critical injuries in the early hours of this morning and later died in St George Hospital.

Emergency services were called about 12.50am local time following reports of a man injured on the ground.

Ambulance paramedics treated him at the scene and he was taken to hospital, but died a short time later.

Local officers in the St George area attended and established a crime scene, with the circumstances leading up to the man's death now under investigation.

Anyone with information is being urged by New South Wales Police to come forward and contact Crime Stoppers.

The Telegraph said the man was found near a 24-hour gym and that police were alerted by an anonymous tip-off from someone calling from a phone box nearby.

Police have reportedly set up a crime scene that is 150m long and are also looking at nearby pay phone.

The Telegraph also reported that evidence markers have been put out on the footpath outside Hotline Fitness, but that it was not known if the gym is connected in any way to the death.

Mr Carino was found by two people walking past, the newspaper said.
One attempted to perform CPR on him while the other made a separate call to emergency services.

About 2am local time this morning a man named Steven Ripley, which the Telegraph says is Roddy's brother, posted a message on Facebook asking where Roddy was.

"Does any one know where Roddy Carino has gone to," the message read.

A man named Rod Carino, which the Telegraph reported as being his father, then commented on the message to say Roddy was at St George Hospital.

"...hello steven your brother is in st gorge hospital," the Facebook comment said.

The Telegraph reported that police are currently speaking with family members trying to find out Mr Carino's movements before he was found.

Police confirmed to the newspaper that the victim was not known to them and that there was nothing to suggest it was a targeted attack at this stage.