Man arrested over stabbing linked to death

A man was found dead in Mansfield St, Tauranga after attending a party at a nearby house on Saturday. Photo / NZME.

A man has been arrested over a stabbing police believe is linked to the death of a Tauranga teenager who was found dead at the end of a trail of blood.

Police said a 36-year-old man was arrested after a search warrant was executed at a Tauranga address this afternoon.

He would appear in Tauranga District Court tomorrow charged with wounding.

Police earlier today said the stabbing in Welcome Bay on Saturday night was linked to the discovery of teenager's body in a Mansfield St driveway.

The dead 19-year-old was named today as Takena Tiepa-Ranapia of Tauranga.

A post mortem examination this morning confirmed he was the victim of an assault but police are remaining tight-lipped about the nature of his injuries.

In a statement this morning, police said he had walked half a kilometre with his injuries, leaving a trail of blood.

Police said a scene examination indicated the trail of blood led from outside a Mansfield St address where a party was held on Saturday night.

Police said it appeared Mr Tiepa-Ranapia then walked along Mansfield St and Jane Way into a reserve before looping back to where he was discovered outside a second address Mansfield St address.

He would have covered a distance of approximately half a kilometre and police would like to speak to anyone who saw a man in this location in the early hours of the morning.

Police this evening said they were still urging anyone with information to come forward.

Investigators are particularly interested in the movements of a maroon four-door Ford Laser sedan in the Tauranga and Mount Muanganui areas between midnight and 1am on Saturday.

Police earlier said they believed the people responsible for both incidents travelled to both locations in a vehicle and then left those locations in that vehicle a short time later.

In the Welcome Bay incident, police said a man suffered hand and facial injuries.

Anyone with information was asked to contact Tauranga Police on 07 577 4300.