Rangiora homicide: Police charge man with murder of Richard Leman, whose body was found in car

Armed police have arrested a man in relation to the Richard Leman homicide probe.

Leman’s body was found inside his car, parked in a garage in Tyler St, Rangiora, on April 17. Police then began a homicide inquiry.

Acting Detective Senior Sergeant Daniel Overend said this morning that police, including members of the armed offenders squad, had raided a property in Oxford Rd, Rangiora.

A 46-year-old man was taken into custody.

“He has been charged with murder and is due to appear in the Christchurch District Court on Tuesday,” Overend said.

“We are still urging anyone with specific information relating to Mr Leman’s murder to come forward and speak to the inquiry team.

“As the matter is now before the courts, and with the investigation ongoing, Police cannot comment further.”

Police remain at the scene of the raided Oxford Rd property.

Police raided a property in Oxford Rd, Rangiora today in relation to the homicide of Richard Leman. Photo / Kurt Bayer

Previously: Police searched several properties in homicide probe

The Herald had previously reported that police visited a block of apartments in Rolleston, speaking to residents and asking about comings and goings from Leman’s former flat.

It’s understood Leman moved in late last year and moved out about a month before his death.

Richard Anthony Leman.

An agent connected with the apartment declined to comment to the Herald, but said Leman was not on the lease for the property.

Police have also searched several properties in North Canterbury in relation to the investigation.

Police earlier began searching a property on Andrew St, Rangiora. Staff were carrying out a thorough search of the property, a short distance from where Leman was found.

Police raided the property in the days after Leman’s body was found.

The owner of the property earlier told the Herald he was yet to be contacted by police regarding the raid, but was aware police were at his home. He said his daughter lived there.

He last drove past the property days before the raid and said it looked “like Fort Knox”.

The woman’s mother told the Herald she had spoken to her daughter. She said she was doing okay and was not involved in what had happened.

Leman’s body was found inside his car, parked in a garage in Tyler St, Rangiora, on April 17. Photo / Kurt Bayer

“No, she was friends with him, but no, definitely not.”

A neighbour said he saw a white van and two cars parked outside the woman’s house late on Monday night after Leman’s body was found.

By 6am the next day they were gone.

Police raiding a Rangiora home after Richard Leman's body was found several blocks away. Photo / George Heard

He said he had previously seen Leman at the property.

A couple living nearby said they had seen the white Nissan Fuga at the property on several occasions.

“I had seen it around here a few times, different times of night,” the man said.

It can also be reported Leman was being managed by Corrections at the time of his death.

Corrections’ acting operations director Toni Stewart confirmed to the Herald that Leman was under their management but was not subject to electronic monitoring.

“To avoid compromising the active Police investigation, we are limited in what further information we can provide at this stage.”

Detective Inspector Joel Syme earlier said a homicide inquiry into Leman’s death was continuing, with investigators concentrating on his last known movements and the movements of his vehicle in the days before it was found in Tyler St.

Police searching a home in Andrew St, Rangiora, after finding Richard Leman's body in a car. Photo / George Heard.

“Anyone who saw a 2000s-model white Nissan Fuga in the area in the week leading up to Monday, April 17 is asked to get in touch with police,” he said.

Leman, 41, had been missing for more than a week, with multiple social media posts shared by his family seeking sightings and information.

On the evening of April 17, a car linked to him was found in a garage in Tyler St, with a man’s body inside.

‘Our much-loved Richard will not be coming home to us’

Leman’s sister Nicky Leman earlier posted on Facebook confirming her brother was dead.

“The time has come, the Leman family now has official confirmation, that our much-loved Richard will not be coming home to us as we had hoped and prayed for,” she wrote.

Armed police in Andrew St, Rangiora, as part of the homicide investigation. Photo / George Heard

“He has been taken away from us well before his time. We will never receive Richard’s bear hugs again. He will never see his children grow up or watch them play rugby or soccer again.”

Leman was a “proud and devoted father” of his three sons, aged 10 and younger. He was also an “adored son”, a “much-loved little brother” and a “doting uncle”, she said.

She asked anyone with information to contact police.

The family asked for donations in lieu of flowers to help with his funeral costs and to cover expenses, as he did not have insurance. Any excess funds would go directly to his three sons.

Police are seeking sightings of a white Nissan Fuga, similar to the one pictured, in relation to the death of Richard Leman.

Syme earlier said police were conducting “extensive inquiries” to determine what led to Leman’s death.

“We are committed to establishing what has occurred and locate those responsible for this man’s death.”

Before the discovery of his body, Leman’s sister Kim Leman Bennett posted on Facebook that he was last seen at a shopping centre in Rangiora at 8.20pm on April 11.

Leman had been staying in the Sefton and Rangiora area.

“Police have been notified … We have grave concerns for his safety and mental health,” his sister posted.

“Someone out there must know something, we just need to know and want him home.”

Leman Bennett earlier declined to comment.

She said in her earlier post that Leman “may look rough and tough” but he was “a big baby at heart and a mummy’s boy”.

Neighbours say Richard Leman was seen at the raided property on several occasions. Photo / George Heard

The fact he had not called his mother in more than a week was concerning because he usually spoke to her every day.

“Our little brother has the kindest heart, loves his children, loves his family and would do anything to help others,” Leman Bennett said.

“We just want him home.”

The house where the body was found is owned by Kāinga Ora and appears to be unoccupied.

It is unkempt and overgrown, with smashed windows and others boarded up.

A missing person poster shared widely on social media community pages by Richard Leman's family. Photo / Facebook

A resident said he had never seen the car before and the garage door was shut a day before the body was found.

Another resident who walks her dog past the house every day said a woman and a young boy were on the grass on the property on the Monday afternoon.

Another neighbour told the Herald that a young man spoke to his mother-in-law earlier on the day when the body was discovered, and asked if she knew anything about a stolen vehicle that was parked in the garage where the body was found. The garage door was shut at the time.