7 Dec 2015

Neighbours asked to search for weapon

12:25 pm on 7 December 2015

Police are asking some residents in the Auckland suburb of Mt Albert to search their properties for a weapon after a 24-year-old man was stabbed to death.

Police at the scene of the fatal stabbing on Renton Road in Mt Albert

The stabbings happened on Renton Road Photo: RNZ / Diego Opatowski

Nathan Mata Pukeroa was attacked about 12.15am on Thursday outside a Renton Road property and died at the scene. His funeral was being held at Ohaki Marae at Pawarenga, Northland, today.

His friend, a 22-year-old, was attacked by the same as yet unidentified person, police said.

"One focus of the team today is on tracking the movements of a red Toyota utility that left the Renton Rd address shortly after the fatal attack," said Detective Inspector Chris Cahill.

"We need to hear from anyone who saw it in the vicinity at around about the same time Nathan was killed or anywhere in the upper North Island in the four days since."

Mr Cahill said the key to solving the mystery of who killed Mr Pukeroa and nearly killed his friend could lie with the neighbourhood.

"We'd like to hear from anyone in and around the Renton Road vicinity who has noticed any suspicious behaviour in the area over the past several weeks.

"We are also urging residents in the area to search their properties and advise us if they find any sharp instrument that could have been used as a weapon and that has been discarded by the person or people responsible.

Mr Cahill said it was important people remembered that a young man died outside a home in a suburban street and another was seriously injured and that the killer had not been identified or located.

"As usual, the public and our communities are our eyes and ears."

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