Murder charges laid after mystery death
Two men have been charged with the murder of Napier man Alex Latimer.
Latimer’s body was found at a rural Hawke’s Bay address in early October.
James Taylor Martin Webby, 24, and a 26-year-old man with continued interim name suppression were initially charged with assault after police began looking into the disappearance of the 30-year-old.
They both appeared before Geoff Rea on the upgraded charge of murder in the Hastings District Court yesterday.
The 26-year-old also faces a charge of reckless driving and failing to stop for police.
Both charges of assault faced by the men were withdrawn by police prosecutor Sergeant Deon Goodall.
Latimer was last seen at the Bayview BP petrol station in the early hours of September 30.
It is believed Latimer was headed northwest to the Te Haroto area on the NapierTaupo Rd.
His vehicle — a white 2000 Toyota Corolla hatchback, registration ZE8110 — was found burnt out on Omaranui Rd the next day.
His body was found on a Te Haroto property adjacent to State Highway 5 on October 6.
Rea remanded the pair in custody to reappear in the High Court in Napier on November 27.