Paeroa homicide update

Police currently have 33 staff working on the investigation into the murder of Paeroa businessman Jordan VOUDOURIS whose body was found lying by the driveway to the rear of his premises on 18 June.

The head of the Operation Olive team, Detective Senior Sergeant Mike Whitehead, said these staff came not only from the Waikato, but neighbouring districts as well, in addition to other specialists who assist when required.

"The investigation team have completed an extensive canvas of business premises and private dwellings. So far we have visited and spoken to the occupants of approximately 350 private and business addresses.

"After collecting this information we then have to subject it to analysis to either corroborate or eliminate it as we build up a picture of what has occurred.  Each piece of information we receive generates a number of other enquiries that we must undertake and this process is very time consuming."

Mr Whitehead said as often the case in such investigations, it is common for the Police to receive information generated out of rumour or speculation which then creates new challenges.

"This is inevitable in any community and it is important that the police hear about these rumours for two reasons.

"Firstly there may be a factual basis that will be valuable to the investigation. Secondly, if it is just a rumour it is important that this is confirmed as such to remove the particular issue and to prevent it being raised at a future trial in an attempt to divert blame from the person charged."

As the senior investigator working to bring to account those responsible for Mr VOUDOURIS's murder, Mr Whitehead asked that people do not maliciously or falsely generate rumours as this can waste a lot of Police time, time that could be better spent following up genuine leads.

"We continue to appeal for people to come forward with information.  Although the investigation has been going for a month we are still discovering people who potentially have crucial information who have not come forward."

There can be a number of reasons why they have not contacted police:

•       They do not think what they know is important.
•       They think someone else has already told the police.
•       They are afraid or shy.
•       They do not like dealing with police.
•       They knew they were someone the Police wanted to identify but decided to wait for the Police to find them.

The investigation team is compiling timelines to account for movements and activity; this is something the public can assist with.

"In particular we are working to establish:

•       Everyone who went to Myconos on the night of Sunday the 17 June.

•       Everyone who was out walking or driving about or through the central area of Paeroa   between 10pm on the Sunday and 6am on Monday the 18th.

"The police now believe that Mr VOUDOURIS was shot sometime between 1.30am and 4.30am on the morning Monday of 18 June but the offender(s) activity either side of this time frame may have attracted someone's attention."

Mr Whitehead said if anyone was out and about around these times or visited the Myconos store and has not yet been spoken to by Police, please get in touch.

"Given we have revealed that Mr VOUDOURIS was the victim of a shooting we would now like to hear from anyone who knows of firearms being stolen, anyone having firearms who should not have and any activity involving firearms that was suspicious or out of the ordinary.

"Over recent days we have created a web address and a FaceBook page to assist people to contact us:

Face book - Paeroa Police - Jordan Voudouris Homicide

Police Website - www.police.govt.nz/olive

"In addition people can still contact the enquiry team via Paeroa Police on 07 862 8744 or alternatively, information can be left anonymously with Crime stoppers on 0800 555 111.