Murder victim was on the run

The 38-year-old Auckland man who was killed and dumped in a New Plymouth garage had previously been on the run from police.

Dean Stuart Browne, who was identified yesterday, was found on Friday night in the double garage of a Drake St home occupied by a young couple with three children, who apparently did not know the man.

Takapuna police approached the Herald in October in an attempt to locate him as there were two warrants out for his arrest, one for serious assault and the other for breaching a protection order.

A photo of him ran in the Herald's Crimescene pages and it was last night unknown if police had managed to contact Browne before his death.

He was said to have been aware he was wanted by police and would have been in hiding.

Police had advised members of the public not to approach him and said he had contacts in the Orewa, Whangaparaoa and North Shore areas.

They were yesterday still investigating how and where he died. They believed he was killed elsewhere before his body was wrapped up and dumped at the address.

Detective Senior Sergeant Grant Coward said Browne's body appeared to have been in the garage for 12 to 24 hours before being discovered.

Mr Coward said the discovery had shocked the residents, who had been unable to identify him. It is understood he was identified yesterday by his fingerprints. About 20 staff are working on the case.