Farmer Cres homicide

A team of 25 Police Staff are currently working on the homicide investigation into the death of a 52-year-old Lower Hutt man in Farmers Crescent, Taita, late yesterday.

Operation Field inquiry head Detective Inspector Darrin Thomson said emergency services were called to the area just after 10pm on Thursday evening, after a friend of the man found him lying unconscious in the street. Despite attempts to resuscitate him, he died at the scene.

He was Michael James Mulholland of Taita.

Mr Thomson said initial information was that the man had some sustained facial injuries. However, more about the circumstances surrounding his death would be known once a post mortem had been undertaken today.

“In the meantime, we are undertaking a number of scene examinations in the area with ESR and other specialist groups to establish various facts and gain more information to determine what has happened.

“We are also speaking with a large number of people in the area and would particularly like to speak with anyone who was in Farmers Crescent between 8pm and 11pm on Thursday 20 September.”

Mr Thomson said Police would be supporting and working with the victim’s family over the coming days.

“We expect to be in the Farmers Crescent are over the next few days and encourage anybody who has information to come forward and assist us with our investigation.”