Two men have appeared in court charged with the murder of Radio New Zealand journalist Phillip Cottrell.
Nicho Waipuka, 19, and a 17-year-old who has interim name suppression appeared in the Wellington District Court on Wednesday.
[image:4094:third:right]Mr Cottrell, a bulletins editor, left work on The Terrace in central Wellington at 5.30am on Saturday and was found unconscious on Boulcott Street by a taxi driver 10 minutes later. His brown leather wallet had been taken.
The 43-year-old died in hospital surrounded by friends and family on Sunday afternoon.
Nicho Waipuka and his co-accused appeared in court separately on Wednesday afternoon.
Their lawyers asked Judge Carrie Wainwright to suppress publication of photographs of the men, as identification may be an issue at trial.
The younger man's lawyer also asked that his name be suppressed until Friday to give him time to tell his family of what had happened.
Judge Wainwright remanded both in custody. The 17-year-old will reappear in court on Friday, while Mr Waipuka will be back in court next Wednesday.
As the younger man left, supporters in the public gallery shouted out that they loved him and told him to "be safe".
Public's help still sought
Detective Senior Sergeant Scott Miller says it has been an extensive inquiry and some CCTV footage of Boulcott Street helped lead to the arrests being made on Wednesday.
Mr Miller said officers are continuing to search two properties in Lower Hutt, but there is still a lot of work to be done on the investigation.
"We need information from members of the public - not just in the Boulcott Street area - but any information on Saturday morning or the previous evening in relation to this case throughout the whole of Wellington city."
A brown wallet has been found in the city, but Mr Miller would not say exactly where, and it has not been confirmed as belonging to Mr Cottrell.
Police still want to hear from several people captured on CCTV footage in Boulcott Street between 5.20am and 5.45am on Saturday. They include a Wellington Combined taxi driver, other motorists and a man and a woman who were seen together.
Mr Miller believes the accused would have spoken to their friends and urged them to come forward to police. He said no one else is being sought in connection with the homicide.
Family statement
Phillip Cottrell's family say they are deeply shocked by his death.
Sue Hollows says the family is grateful to the taxi driver who found her brother and to staff at Wellington Hospital, as well as the many people who have sent messages of condolence from all over the world.
A blessing was held on Wednesday morning outside the Baptist Church in Boulcott Street where the attack happened. A private funeral for Mr Cottrell would be held in Wellington on Friday.
