KEY POINTS:
Police investigating the murder of Christchurch teenager Shaun Finnerty say he may have been sexually assaulted.
The 16-year-old was found dead in the early hours in Auburn Reserve in the suburb of Upper Riccarton last Wednesday.
Two men, Sonny Avon Rehu, 29, unemployed, and Thomas Tihema Christie, 23, also unemployed have been charged with assaulting him.
Detective Inspector Greg Williams says that early reports saying Shaun Finnerty was clothed when he was found, were incorrect and he was discovered virtually naked from the waist down with just his socks on.
"One of the aspects to this investigation has been focusing on whether there is a sexual aspect to this attack," Mr Williams said.
Shaun's running shoes, track pants and boxer shorts were strewn next to his body and a long sleeve sateen blue shirt was found draped over his waist and legs.
Shaun was left wearing a green long sleeve polar fleece with distinctive green nylon shoulder and elbow pads.
Mr Williams said it was possible the blue shirt and the polar fleece had been taken out of a clothing bin that was on Riccarton Road by the Plunket building close to the entrance to Auburn Reserve by the group with Mr Finnerty on the Tuesday evening.
"We have seized this bin. I would like to hear from anyone who placed clothes in that bin in the days leading up to last Tuesday 12 February 2008."
Mr Williams said a number of DNA swabs had been taken from Shaun's body and the scene had been analysed, under urgency, by the ESR and he hoped to have the results back by the end of this week or early next week.
The interim post mortem report revealed that he had received a significant beating leading up to his death with numerous injuries over his body including in and around the groin area.
Police now are looking for two men seen in the area late on the night before he died.
They wanted to speak to a man seen pushing a supermarket trolley and another riding a mountain bike who were seen around the BP service station near the reserve about 10.30pm last Tuesday.
Rehu and Christie have been remanded to appear in Christchurch District Court again this Friday.
Mr Williams said both Rehu and Christie had been extensively interviewed and as result the investigative team were satisfied they were not looking at any other person in relation to what happened to Shaun.
"They are basically pointing the finger at each other. However, we still want to talk to the man with the bike that was in the park.
"I am sure that people associating with Rehu and Christie have more to tell us."
- NZPA
