High Flyers’ grisly find sparks fears over close friend’s death
A city eyesore is at the focus of public probes into the death of a Palmerston North man, but police remain tight-lipped about the building’s relevance to the case.
Friends of Owen Charles Wildbore-brumby, 40, a familiar street dweller whose body was found in Te Marae o Hine / The Square on February 16, fear the nearby High Flyers building may hold some clue to his fate.
Wildbore-brumby’s bike was found tied up outside the rundown building on the edge of the park, and there were claims of blood being found inside the former nightclub.
Police have yet to confirm a cause of death and would not comment on whether they were investigating a connection to High Flyers.
Video footage sighted by Stuff, shows what appears to be puddles of blood in the main room. Graffiti and scattered bottles also suggest the building is a regular haunt.
Awhena Peachey, a close friend of Wildlbore-brumby, had gone inside the building and said she found pools of blood on the floor, walls, doors and in the bathroom block.
Wildbore-brumby’s clothing was also found inside.
Detective Carl Newton said police were speaking with people who may have information relating to Wildbore-brumby’s death, and urged others to come forward and assist police rather than conduct their own probes.
He would not comment on High Flyers, but said he had ‘‘heard rumours’’ about others searching the building.
The autopsy results could not confirm a cause of death.
Palmerston North City Council mayor Grant Smith said all available CCTV footage from Te Marae o Hine had been accessed but police, but would not provide further comment.
The High Flyers building, a former post office, has been vacant for more than seven years.
It is owned by Aucklandbased company Palmerston North Post Limited.
Stuff has sought comment from the owner on the building’s security and sanitation.
Peachey and other friends of Wildbore-brumby met with the mayor on Tuesday to discuss how the city could honour the man’s memory.
She said a plaque at Kelvin Grove Cemetery was being arranged.
There were also calls for a chair and plaque to be placed in Te Marae o Hine, as many people who knew WildboreBrumby would struggle to travel outside the central city.
Hope Vineyard senior pastor Lydia Read was setting up a Givealittle page to pay for costs associated with his memorial or plot.