CORPSE MAY HAVE BEEN DRIVEN AROUND FOR DAYS
THE dead man at the centre of a local homicide mystery may have been driven around in the back of a Holden station wagon for days, it has emerged.
The bizarre revelation came as investigators continued to focus on the area of a reported burglary that could be linked to the suspected killing.
The homicide squad is maintaining a stony silence on the case but last night police released a short statement on the North Shore body find.
“Detectives believe the blue VT Holden Commodore con- taining the body had been moved during the past week and was not consistently parked in the same location.”
The 41-year-old man may have been dead for days before officers discovered his body while responding to reports of a burglary at a house on Seaforth St on Sunday morning.
Officers were searching the area when they found the man’s body. “A search of the nearby area uncovered the body of a 41-year-old North Shore man in a parked vehicle on Sea Breeze Pde,” police said.
Yesterday forensic officers scoured three industrial sheds, located on Seaforth St, for evidence.
Officers could not confirm why the sheds were being forensically tested and could not say if the attempted burglary occurred at one of the sheds or if a suspect for the killing was still at large.
A typed eviction note, dated April 9, was taped to the front gates of one of the sheds, telling the resident not to enter the property as it has been repossessed.
Homicide squad detectives last night revealed they now knew the identity of the deceased man, but did not release any names.
The dog squad combed the area for most of Sunday as forensic police gathered evidence from the car. Nearby resident Ayla Norman said police began doorknocking shortly before noon.
About 5pm on Sunday, police removed an SES tent that had been covering a dark blue station wagon where the body was found. Detectives were seen taking photographs of a number of items inside the car, including a roll of taped-up fabric or carpet.
By midday yesterday the VT Holden Commodore had been removed from the scene. Adjoining streets, cordoned off on Sunday, were reopened yesterday but a heavy police presence remained in the area.
Uniformed officers could be seen speaking to nearby residents and business owners.
Police would not say if another person had been in the vehicle when it was found or if they were hunting any suspects.
Ms Webster said detectives were continuing to appeal for any information. Anyone with information should contact Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000.