Police have named the pair involved in the double fatality discovered in Waipukurau on Saturday.
They were 61-year-old Ngaire Elaine McKenzie and 58-year-old Murray James Daley, both of Waipukurau.
The pair were found dead at a Jellicoe St address on Saturday in the Central Hawke's Bay town which had been described by a neighbour as an otherwise-quiet area.
Yesterday a family spokesman said Ms McKenzie's family, including her daughters, were at the house and not in a position to provide comment to the media.
"The community knew Ngaire well and there's nothing we could say or do that could justify how great she was."