Man's death no longer homicide - police

Police are no longer treating the death of a man found in Port Chalmers, near Dunedin, as a homicide.

The man in his 30s, who police have not yet named, was discovered about 1pm yesterday off a track in the area known as Scott Memorial, on Blueskin Rd near Port Chalmers.

Police believed no one else was involved in his death, Detective Senior Sergeant Kallum Croudis said.

Overnight inquiries about the man's identity as well as a scene examination today had convinced police to no longer treat the death as a homicide.

The man had still "died violently", but Mr Croudis would not reveal how.

"The police...until we know the facts, always treat them (as suspicious first)," he told NZPA.

"You have to treat these things with the utmost seriousness and care until you know that they have a different status."

The name of the man was expected to be released later today.

Police had received a lot of information from the public about a car seen in the area, he said.

The matter would be referred to Dunedin coroner, David Crerar, Mr Croudis said.

- NZPA