Police hunt Kiwi singer's killer

Tony Williams. Photo / Supplied

Queensland police think the killer of a kiwi musician, who was found beaten to death inside a property in Australia's Gold Coast, could have been waiting for the victim to arrive home.

Tony Williams, believed to be from Tauranga, was found dead by a friend and his wife at the Mermaid Waters unit complex on Sunshine Blvd just before 2pm on Christmas Eve.

Detective Superintendent David Hutchinson said Mr Williams' death followed an altercation in which he was hit with an object.

"He was struck around the head and the body and as a result of those injuries he has died.''

Police are continuing to doorknock neighbours as part of the ongoing investigation.

Mr Williams was the lead singer of a band, Sex'N' Chocolate, that played weekly at a local nightclub. By day, he worked as an orderly at Gold Coast Hospital.

When he failed to turn up for a regular gig a friend and his wife went to the Sunshine Blvd complex and found Mr Williams dead in the lounge.

It appeared he was murdered soon after being dropped at his unit by a female friend, Mr Hutchinson told goldcoast.com.au.

Police were yet to make an arrest but believed the killer might have been waiting for him to arrive home.

Senior Sergeant Bruce Pearce of Gold Coast police yesterday said the death was being treated as suspicious, but nobody had been taken into custody.

A nearby resident who called police said he heard a man yelling "don't go inside'' at about 2pm, the website reported.

"He was shaking really badly and couldn't really stand properly, I guess he was in shock and just overwhelmed.''

A resident of the Mermaid Waters unit block, Beau Windon, said he was shaken by the death and was no longer keen to re-sign his lease, which was up for renewal next week.