Police track slain farmer's Facebook friends

Scott Guy was shot dead on July 8. Photo / Supplied

Police hunting Scott Guy's killer are tracking down Facebook friends of the slain Manawatu farmer and his widow.

Mr Guy was shot dead in the driveway of his Aorangi Rd home in Feilding early on July 8.

Police today confirmed they had sent emails to "between 300 and 400" people who were friends with Mr Guy and his wife Kylee on the popular social networking site Facebook.

A police email seen by NZPA asked the recipient how they had known the couple and for how long.

The email, sent earlier this week, also asked the recipient to provide their contact details and to reply even if they had already spoken with police.

Police spokeswoman Kim Perks said the Facebook inquiries were "part of the ongoing phase to make contact with all friends and associates of Scott and Kylee Guy".

"The purpose is to complete a background picture of Scott and to identify any information that might be relevant to the investigation," she said.

It was not unusual for police to make routine inquiries by email if that was the only contact information available, or if the same information was being requested from a large number of people.

Police inquiries have focused on three chocolate labrador puppies taken from the property, two vehicles seen on Aorangi Road on the morning of the murder, and the shotgun used to kill Mr Guy, which has not yet been recovered.

An appeal for information, reiterating the main areas of inquiry, will screen on popular television crime show Police Ten-7 tonight.

"It's always been a consideration to use Police Ten-7 as another means of eliciting information," investigation head Detective Inspector Sue Schwalger said.

"It is a different audience and demographic to other media and with any investigation you look at ways you can reach different audiences."

- NZPA