Police have named the Wairoa man killed in a suspected hit-and-run in the early hours of Sunday.
He was Nigel Sammons, 33, whose body was found by a police patrol at the intersection of Black and Rutherford Sts just before 5am on Sunday.
Yesterday Detective Sergeant Kevin Ford said Mr Sammons' body had been released to his family after a post-mortem completed on Monday in Rotorua.
Family and friends have paid their respects on social media to the 33-year-old, who was interested in diving, hunting and other outdoor activities. It is understood a tangi will be held at several marae over the coming days.
Mystery still surrounds Mr Sammons' death - suspected to have been caused by a hit-and-run - with police continuing their investigations.