Police have named a man “in his 50s” who was being “urgently” sought by officers investigating the suspicious death of a woman at a Pahīatua property last week.
A homicide investigation was launched after the woman was found dead at a home on Arthur St, near a local school, last Wednesday afternoon.
Today, police named Jeremy Robertson as a person they wanted to speak to in relation to the incident. He was “in his 50s and is of solid build”, they said.
Detective Senior Sergeant Dave Thompson alleged Robertson had been driving a red Mitsubishi ASX with the registration QGU91.
“This vehicle was taken from the victim’s address in Pahīatua, and police located it unoccupied at the Blue and Green Lakes lookout on Tarawera Rd, Rotorua,” he said.
Thompson said Robertson arrived in the lakes area in the Mitsubishi at around 2am last Wednesday. The Rotorua site was more than 350km from the woman’s Pahīatua home.
“Members of the public have seen the vehicle parked at the lookout carpark from around 8am on Thursday, October 16,” a police spokesperson said.
“Police are keen to hear from anyone that may have seen this vehicle, in this area, between 2am on Wednesday 15 and 8am on Thursday, October 16.”
“We are also interested in any sightings of Jeremy in the Tarawera Rd, Rotorua area from Wednesday, October 15,” Thompson said.
“It is not clear if Jeremy is still in the area or has left. Should you see him, do not approach him but call 111 immediately and advise police.”
Non-urgent information can be passed to police via 105.
A police spokesperson said last week that officers found the deceased woman after being called to the residential address at 4.40pm on Wednesday, October 15.
A post-mortem had since been carried out, with a scene examination taking place between Wednesday and Friday. Police said last week the missing vehicle would be removed from the Rotorua location and also undergo forensic examination.
Scene cordons due to the inquiry affected Tararua College students last week. The school was adjacent to where the address where the woman was found.
