Arthur Easton murder case: Police go to three Australian states in search for killer in 39-year-old case

The hunt for Papakura man Arthur Easton's killer has headed to Australia after police posted a $100,000 reward.

• A team of police investigators have flown to Australia as part of the new investigation into Arthur Easton’s murder 39 years ago.
• Police announced a $100,000 reward last month and have since received about 20 calls and emails with information.
• Easton died in 1985 after confronting a male intruder in his Papakura family home and was stabbed multiple times.

A team of police investigators have headed to Australia as part of the new investigation into the 1985 murder of Arthur Easton.

Police say the team of detectives went to three Australian states in the search for who killed the 52-year-old father in his Papakura home 39 years ago, travelling to Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland as part of the new investigation.

Detective Inspector Warrick Adkin said since the announcement of a $100,000 reward last month police had received about 20 calls and emails with information relating to the case.

“Our team is determined to find the person responsible for killing Arthur and as part of this investigation, information led us to travel to Australia to speak to a number of individuals.

“Speaking to these individuals we have received additional context surrounding some of the original information provided to police almost 40 years ago.

“We are continuing to work through the information received, which has been imperative to this case.”

Easton died aged 52 after confronting a male intruder on his Grove Rd family home with his two teenage sons on October 13, 1985 at about 8pm.

At the time the killer was wearing a brown woollen hat pulled over his face and armed with a bayonet.

Police have headed to Australia, travelling to three states, in the hunt for Arthur Easton's killer.

Easton was stabbed multiple times, with the knifeman fleeing the South Auckland property.

The woollen hat and bayonet were recovered at the Grove Rd home.

Alan Hall was wrongfully convicted of Easton’s murder in 1986 and spent 19 years behind bars before his conviction was overturned by the Supreme Court in 2022, with judges ruling key evidence at his trial was “materially altered”.

Today Adkin said police hoped people within Papakura and the wider community would continue to come forward.

“There are still people who have not yet spoken to police and who may have information relating to Arthur’s death.

“Please contact us, now is the time to share what you know, no matter how insignificant it may seem.”