Tauranga double murder accused appears in court

Rotorua truck driver Anthony Paul Doyle in court this morning. Picture / Alan Gibson

A Rotorua truck driver made a brief appearance in court today accused of the execution-style slaying of a Tauranga couple a week ago.

Anthony Paul Doyle, aged 40, was charged in Tauranga District Court with murdering Mikaere Douglas O'Sullivan and his partner Toni-Anne Nathan whose bodies were found under the Wairoa River Bridge near Tauranga early last Monday.

Doyle was remanded in custody without plea until November 21.

His lawyer, Viv Winiata, said that Doyle did not wish to apply for bail or name suppression.

Doyle surrendered without incident to members of the armed offenders squad who surrounded his home in central Rotorua early yesterday.

"Operation River" inquiry team head Detective Senior Sergeant Greg Turner told a media conference in Tauranga yesterday that he could not rule out further arrests.

He declined to comment on motives for the killings or whether police had found the murder weapon.

Mr O'Sullivan and Ms Nathan, who lived near Tauranga, died from shotguns blasts.

Mr O'Sullivan's father Doug said the arrest was a big relief.

"I have rung everyone I can ring."

All he wanted was for the killer to "come clean... my son was the best man in the world".

- NZPA