Panmure death: Taxi driver sought

Police work within the cordon on Pilkington Road after the body of a male was found dead in the early hours of new years day. Photo / Greg Bowker

Police investigating a homicide in the early hours of New Year's Day want to speak with a taxi driver who picked up 27-year-old Nathan Albert shortly before he was killed.

Mr Albert died after being stabbed in Pilkington Rd, Panmure, shortly after 4am on Tuesday.

A 38-year old Panmure man handed himself in to police yesterday and appeared in Auckland District Court charged with Crimes Act Assault.

He was remanded in custody to reappear later this month, and police say more serious charges could follow as the investigation progresses.

Now, police have appealed for a taxi driver who took Mr Albert from the lower end of the Auckland Central Business District, in the vicinity of Fort St, Fort Lane and Customs St West, before dropping him at Pilkington Rd, sometime between 3.30am and 4am on New Year's Day.

Detective Inspector Mark Benefield, in charge of the homicide investigation codenamed Operation Terri, confirmed that no weapon has yet been recovered.

He appealed to Panmure locals that if they come across "a knife or sharp instrument foreign to their property'' to call police.

People can call Operation Terri on 0800 4 TERRI or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.