House of horrors: No homicide investigation

A man was found burned to death and a woman stabbed at a Russell St, Palmerston North, house.

The discovery of a man's burned body at a Palmerston North property is not being treated as a homicide by police.

The man, aged in his late 60s, was found at residential property in Russell St on Friday evening. A woman in her mid-30s, who was related to the man, was also found at the house with stab wounds to her face and body.

Police said the pair were part of a large family who lived at the home.

Police spokeswoman Sara Stavropoulos confirmed this afternoon the matter was not being treated as a homicide investigation.

Relatives of the woman, who had undergone two rounds of surgery for her injuries, were supporting her in hospital.

She was in a serious but stable condition, Ms Stavropoulos said.

"They are completely devastated with what has happened,'' she said.

A post mortem examination on the man's body, which was removed from the house around noon yesterday, was performed today. A scene examination was also performed.

It is understood children were in the property at the time of the incident.

Police were called to the family's Russell St house on Friday evening after neighbours reported yelling.