Hawke's Bay murder accused named

Victoria Foster, from Westshore Napier. Photograph supplied

The man charged with murdering Napier woman Victoria Foster at her Westshore home last month has been identified as former partner Chazz Hayden Hall.

Name suppression, which was granted in the interim at a hospital bedside sitting on October 27, the day after Miss Foster died, was lifted by Justice Simon France in the High Court in Napier today.

The Judge appeared by audio visual link from Wellington and Hall, currently in custody, was excused from appearing in court.

The judge immediately lifted suppression on the name of the 28-year-old Hall, listed as having been living in the Napier suburb of Marewa up to the tragedy.

He now faces five charges relating to the death and the chase which followed, ending with Hall being shot by police on State Highway 2 at Clive late on the night of Labour Day.

Initally charged with murder and unlawful possession of a shotgun, he was today also charged with using a firearm against police, failing to stop for police and dangerous driving.

Hall, who spent several days in police and Corrections Department custody at Hawke's Bay Hospital, was remanded in continued custody for a case review on February 10.

Justice France sought no pleas but said he expected pleas at the next hearing.

Crown prosecutor Clayton Walker said a draft summary of the offences had been filed, but defence counsel Eric Forster successfully sought that the summary be suppressed from publication pending the next hearing.

It's understood Ms Foster's 5-year-old daughter Madison, who police say slept through the incident, was being cared for by family and would be looked after in the longer-term by her grandmother.