Fifth man charged in relation to Woodville shooting

A fifth man has been arrested and charged in relation to the death of James Whatuira who was found dead at a Woodville property last month.

The 32-year-old Woodville man has been charged with being party to a murder
and will appear in the Palmerston North District Court today.

A 41-year-old vineyard worker appeared in Christchurch District Court yesterday charged with murdering the 49-year-old Pahiatua man during a Woodville shooting at the start of the year.

He was granted interim name suppression and remanded in custody until the case is called at the High Court in Palmerston North on March 16.

Mr Whatuira, known as 'Poto', was killed by a single gunshot wound and was found dead at an Ormond St property on January 4.

Hawke's Bay Today reported claims of an alleged drug-related shooting involving several people soon after the incident.

Police established that Mr Whatuira did not reside at the Ormond St property, while a 20-strong team of officers worked on the investigation and searched for the gun used in the shooting.

Three Dannevirke men, aged 29, 35 and 45, have also been charged with being a party to a murder and appeared in the Palmerston North District Court yesterday.

A detective involved to the case would not discuss whether police had located the weapon used in the shooting.
The house was also the scene of an incident on October 23 last year, where a man was stabbed in the abdomen and face, while another man suffered knife wounds to his hand.