Dunedin murder accused appear in court

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Two of three men charged with murder following the death of a 23-year-old man near Dunedin have been remanded in custody by consent and granted interim name suppression, the Otago Daily Times reports.

The pair, aged 17 and 25, appeared in the Dunedin District Court this morning. The third man, a 47-year-old is due to appear this afternoon, and is expected to apply for bail and interim name suppression.

The three men, all of Dunedin, are charged jointly with murdering James Mathew Ellis.

Mr Ellis' body was found at Blueskin Bay Estuary, north of Dunedin by two people out walking on Friday morning.

The 17-year-old is remanded to May 3, and the 25-year-old to June 14, the Otago Daily Times reported.

Police and Christchurch ESR were yesterday examining three properties - two in Dunedin and one in Oamaru - as well as two vehicles of interest, a green Mazda 626 and a white Mazda 626.

One of the vehicles, the white Mazda with registration PK4943, was stolen from Dunedin on Thursday.

The armed offenders squad was used to secure a house in Gilmerton Street, Corstorphine, where the 47-year-old and 17-year-old were found and arrested.

Neighbours said the two arrested by the AOS were father and son.

Detective Senior Sergeant Kallum Croudis said police still had a number of people to speak to but the investigation was progressing quickly.

"We are still trying to locate witnesses who attended a gathering at an Oamaru address overnight on Thursday and early Friday morning. Both Mr Ellis and the three men facing charges appear to have been at the address," he told the Otago Daily Times.

"The result in bringing charges is a testament to the excellent collaboration and cooperation between police staff in Gore, Oamaru, Dunedin and Christchurch, as well as urgency around speaking to potential witnesses."

- NZ Herald staff