Luigi Mangione pleads not guilty over the death of health insurance CEO Brian Thompson and New Zealand's official holiday road toll period begins. Video / NZ Herald
Four men have been charged with murder in a homicide inquiry following the early-morning death of Napier man Boy Taylor in Napier’s CBD shopping centre last week.
Boy Taylor, a street-dweller who died in Napier's Emerson St shopping precinct early on the morning of December 18. Police say he had injuries consistent with an assault and four men have been charged with murder.
The charges, against four earlier charged with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, were announced this afternoon.
Detective Inspector David De Lange said of the two teenagers arrested and charged overnight, a 19-year-old was appearing Hastings District Court today, also facing a charge of wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm in relation to a second victim.
An 18-year-old Wellington man was appearing in the Wellington District Court charged with murder and one charge of wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm.
Two men, aged 21 and 33, who appeared on Monday have been remanded in custody through the Christmas and New Year period and are set to appear in court in Napier on January 22 when their charges will be upgraded.
Police said they were now not seeking anyone else in relation to the death.
De Lange said while police still had more work to do, they hoped the arrests provided the victim’s family with “some degree of comfort at a very difficult time”.
“I would like to acknowledge the time and effort put in by the investigation team to identify and arrest those allegedly involved in Mr Taylor’s death,” he said.
Boy Taylor, described as "cool" and harmless" was farewelled at a tangi at Napier's Pukemokimoki Marae, ending on December 24.
The 58-year-old victim, regarded by friends as “cool” and “harmless”, was resting overnight at Napier’s Pukemokimoki Marae, where the final service is at 11am today.
Taylor was found about 3.15am last Wednesday on the paving a metre or two from a recess between Pascoes the Jewellers and One NZ in Emerson St, near the intersection with Hastings St. Police said attempts were made to resuscitate him, but he died at the scene.
Following a post-mortem, police said he had received injuries consistent with an assault.
Doug Laing is a senior reporter based in Napier with Hawke’s Bay Today, and has 51 years of journalism experience, 41 of them in Hawke’s Bay, in news gathering, including breaking news, sports, local events, issues, and personalities.
