Family unaware couple lay dead

Police at the Henderson house where two bodies of a church-going family were discovered. Picture / Martin Sykes

Two people, believed to be brother and sister, lay dead in a West Auckland garage for hours while family members gathered in the main home, talking and laughing before the grisly discovery.

Lesa Pakau, 33, and 41-year-old Fiu Pakau - also known as Phil Brown - had gunshot wounds which police say are consistent with a firearm found at the scene.

The Herald understands the victims worked as prison officers.

The Department of Corrections referred questions about the pair to police, who would not comment on their occupations before they were formally identified.

The bodies were discovered by a family member in a converted sleepout at the rear of a house in Harrington Rd, Henderson, just before 5pm on Wednesday.

The deaths are being treated as homicide, but police say they are not looking for anyone else in connection to the deaths.

They also refused to confirm the relationship between the pair, who were described by a man seen leaving the house on Wednesday night as brother and sister.

Ms Pakau was last seen in Auckland city having a meal just after midnight, but police do not yet know what time she got home.

Detective Senior Sergeant John Sutton said she lived in the main family home with an elderly woman, who neighbours said had lived at the address for 30 years.

Mr Pakau stayed in the garage and was last seen alive on Tuesday night.

A neighbour, who did not want to be identified, said family members were visiting the house on Wednesday and seemed in good spirits.

He said he noticed a man was sitting on the back doorstep laughing.

The neighbour said Ms Pakau's red Hyundai car was parked outside the address all day and her brother's Ford 4WD, parked in front of the garage, had not moved.

The neighbour said he would usually see Mr Pakau coming and going for work, but had not seen him on Wednesday. He said Ms Pakau sometimes stayed in the garage with Mr Pakau.

Their bodies were removed from the scene yesterday for autopsies and formal identification.

A dozen detectives are investigating. Mr Sutton said police were "keeping an open mind" about the deaths.

Police staff would be making door-to-door inquiries in the neighbourhood and speaking to family members, he said.

"There's nothing at this time [to indicate any reason behind the deaths]. That's part of the investigation, to establish why this has taken place."

Neighbours said the church-going Samoan family were quiet and kept to themselves.