Man on murder charge as police name homicide victim

The woman who died in Napier and sparked a homicide investigation early on Friday morning has been named as Mārewa woman Arohaina Henare.

A police spokesperson said a 48-year-old man known to her was charged with murder on Saturday afternoon.

The spokesperson said he was due to appear in the Hastings District Court on Monday.

“As the matter is now before the courts, police will not comment further,” the spokesperson said.

Police were called to a residential address in Nuffield Ave about 4.25am after a woman was found unresponsive.

She died at the scene.

It became the latest of three homicide investigations in 11 weeks, along with those for 18-year-old Ariki Rigby, whose body was found in Havelock North some time between September 2 and 3, and 29-year-old Darcy Strickland, who was found injured before dying in Flaxmere on October 13. There have been three shootings in seven weeks, including in Greenmeadows on September 26, Taradale on October 28, and most recently in central Hastings on Sunday.

Black Power life member Denis O’Reilly said earlier that local police and voices of reason in the community were working to prevent the risk of compounding tension and potential violence in the community.

“People start arming themselves because of their paranoia and stuff fires off very quickly — that is why it is important to have sane and sound voices to nip these bloody things in the bud,” O’Reilly said. Michael Ngahuka, cousin of Ariki Rigby and a Destiny Church pastor, said earlier that people should know that there were places to go to for help.

“Like us, the church, there are organisations where they can get help — they are out there,” he said.