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A 61-year-old grandfather who died after he was attacked walking home from church had been praying for the general wellbeing of his community in the hours before the assault.
Graham Arcus left the Saturday night prayer group at Royal Oak Baptist Church slightly early to walk home, but never made it.
Police believe Mr Arcus was assaulted by a man as he walked past a group of youths at the Watchmans Lane bus stop about 9.20pm. He died in hospital on Tuesday morning.
Police interviewed some of the five young men who were at the bus stop and said yesterday that they were "comfortable with the way we are progressing".
However, Detective Senior Sergeant Greg Cramer would not reveal details of others who were at the bus stop.
Nor would he say if officers had interviewed the young person believed to have delivered the fatal blow.
"I am comfortable with the way the inquiry is progressing at the moment. We have got a lot to get through."
Mr Cramer said police were still talking to witnesses and "gathering the evidence we can in as careful a manner as we can".
Witnesses had told police the section of Manukau Rd in Royal Oak was particularly busy about 9.30pm when Mr Arcus was bashed.
"Anybody who was driving past or stopped to render assistance and who we haven't spoken to already, I would love them to come forward," Mr Cramer said.
Police were confident the killer would be found. "It has always been one of those situations that is going to be solvable."
Mr Cramer said it was an "extreme, sad irony" that Mr Arcus was walking home from a church meeting "where collectively they had been praying for the community". The victim was the sort of person who would have been the first to help his attacker.
As police continued to hunt the person who inflicted the fatal injuries, Pastor Erik Schilperoort said the Royal Oak Baptist Church would forgive the culprit.
"We do feel compassion towards this person and I guess I would just say God loves you, he wants to forgive you and change your life.
"Graham was a fantastic man and he's going to be greatly missed by his family and friends and church community."
Pastor Schilperoort said Mr Arcus was "calm and quiet" throughout Saturday's prayer meeting and at one stage got down on his knee for about 20 minutes - something he hadn't done before.
"I think he must have been talking to God. He was just kind of quiet and reflective that evening. Maybe his heart was just getting in the right place, I don't know."
