Court appearance update re Taranaki shooting - no victim details to be published

A 13-year-old boy has appeared in the New Plymouth Youth Court today charged with the murder of a 50 year old woman in Okoki, northern Taranaki.

Detective Senior Sergeant Grant Coward, New Plymouth CIB, said the boy has been remanded to a secure Child, Youth and Family facility until Friday.

A court order in place prevents publication of details that will lead to the identity of this boy, the school he attended, the name of the victim and other details that would by association identify the boy or the victim.

Police ask that media reflect the court order and rescind previous publication of the victim’s name and other identifying details.

Detective Senior Sergeant Coward reiterated that this was an ongoing investigation and one which was very sad and difficult for all those affected by the death.

“Police are continuing today with a meticulous forensic scene examination at the Okoki house where the shooting happened, and also on a white four door 1993 Ford Telstar car which was driven from the property after the shooting and stopped in Waitara.

“We are very interested in hearing from people who saw that car on the roads between Okoki and Waitara, between 3.30pm and 5pm,” Detective Senior Sergeant Coward said.

Anyone with information about this is asked to call the police investigation team at New Plymouth police station on 06 759 5500.

He said the victim’s body is this evening being removed from the house and will go to Palmerston North for a post mortem tomorrow.  The scene examination will continue tomorrow.

No further updates will be available this evening.