Man stabbed to death on lawn after bar fight

Police examine the yard yesterday where Julian Chapman Williams died in Pukehina. Picture / Alan Gibson

Instead of celebrating his 30th birthday today, the family of Julian Chapman Williams are mourning his death after he was the victim of a homicide at the beautiful but rugged coastal community of Pukehina, south of Tauranga.

The father of three and keen rugby league player died early yesterday on the lawn of a house he shared with his sister and her two children.

He is believed to have been stabbed in an incident that also saw two other men admitted to hospital, one with serious stab wounds and one with moderate head injuries.

Mr Williams' aunt and uncle yesterday kept a vigil on the road outside his house. The couple, who raised their nephew as a son in a whangai [foster] arrangement, paid tribute to his prowess as a league player.

"We nicknamed him 'Wheels' because when he got in running mode, no one could catch him," said his aunt, Maria Colgan.

A 22-year-old unemployed man from nearby Pongakawa has been charged with murdering Mr Williams and appeared in Tauranga District Court in the afternoon.

Wearing a hospital gown and with a cut on his forehead, the man entered no plea and was remanded in custody until Tuesday. He did not seek bail and was granted interim name suppression on the basis that his family did not yet know of his arrest.

Police said Mr Williams' death appeared to be the culmination of a fight that broke out at a local bar between two groups.

Detective Senior Sergeant Greg Turner said between eight and 10 people were involved but none was a gang member.

Mr Williams' body lay under a blue tarpaulin until Army staff erected a tent over it at midday. His aunt and uncle were reluctant to end their vigil until police had completed forensic examinations and the body could be moved.

"It's called whangai. That's why we can't go home, we can't leave him there," Ms Colgan said.

But they left temporarily to go to the court for the accused man's appearance, sitting tearful in the public gallery.

"It was hard," Chris Williams, the uncle, said afterwards. "I sort of felt sorry for the young fulla. He's still around, but my boy's not."

The family were also concerned about the partner of Julian Williams' sister, saying he had been stabbed in the back of the neck and face. Tauranga Hospital listed his condition as stable. The man with head injuries had been released from hospital.