Theories rife over killing

William Lewis. Photo / Supplied

Rumour spreading among small-town teenagers may have led to the fatal stabbing on Thursday night.

William Peter Lewis was allegedly stabbed by a 16-year-old youth after an altercation on Exe St in Oamaru, about 113km north of Dunedin, at about 9.45pm on Thursday.

Police rushed to the scene after a witness called 111 and a member of the public helped officers give Lewis, also 16, mouth-to-mouth and CPR until paramedics arrived.

But the teenager's injuries were too severe and attempts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful.

The 16-year-old, who cannot be named, was remanded in custody when he appeared in the Oamaru Youth Court yesterday charged with murder.

He will be detained under the Children, Young Persons and their Families Act in a residential centre in Palmerston North where his next court appearance is scheduled.

Detective Sergeant Malcolm Inglis said there were several theories about what happened in the moments leading up to Lewis' death.

He said the pair knew each other but were not friends.

"Before the incident, both had been out, going their own separate ways. One was with a group of people. There are several people we're interviewing who were there at the time. There was a disagreement between the two, but it was not serious at that point."

Inglis said it was possible one of the boys had said something about the other and word had spread, leading to the altercation. He said alcohol was not involved and there was no gang connection.

"It's obviously a tragic event when two young people are involved in such a violent confrontation."

A team of about 15 police officers from various stations near Oamaru and Dunedin are working on the case.

The murder weapon - believed to be a hunting knife - is yet to be found.

Through a police press release Lewis' parents, who live in Timaru, have asked for privacy.

His body was taken to Christchurch for a post mortem examination and a relative said his family were waiting for it to be returned to them yesterday.

A member of his extended family said "they are not really in a good space at the moment".

Lewis' Auckland-based aunt Amy Greening, wasn't up to talking about his death yesterday but posted an emotional message on her Facebook page.

"Why is life so unfair? My beautiful nephew, my sister Jenny's oldest boy William had his short 16-year-old life taken from him on Thursday night.

"The fact that it was so brutally taken and so unnecessary makes it all that much harder to take in. You don't think that things like this will ever happen to your family, you just see them on the news. Love you William, miss you."

It is understood Lewis was the oldest of five children and has two brothers and two sisters.

The former Waitaki Boys' High student had left school and was flatting in Oamaru. He had been commuting to a new job in the Kurow area, where he was working towards a mechanical apprenticeship.

Lewis' girlfriend Alexis Smith described him as "amazing and perfect" on her Bebo page.

"I love him with all my heart and without him id [sic] fully be nothing ... He makes me happy when im sad and sometimes he makes me sad when im happy but i still love him more than anything!"

Many other Oamaru teenagers were posting information on social networking sites, including the name of the accused.

Inglis said that was a concern and "chinese whispers" and "interpretations" of events were not always factual.

Distressed, bloodied teen at door told to go away

Moments after William Lewis was fatally stabbed, Oamaru man Adam Caldwell opened his door to a distressed teenage boy with bloodied hands.

Caldwell told 3News he was sitting in his front of his TV when a teenager banged on his door in a distressed state.

"[He was] shaking, screaming, and there was a wee bit of blood on his hands, freaking out going, 'help me, help me ... can I come in? Hide me, hide me'."

Caldwell said the boy, who he did not know, tried to "barge in", but he told him to get out of the house.

Alfonzo Fehui told 3News the 16-year-old, a friend of his, called him with a confusing story. "He just said to come and help."

The scene of Lewis' death was still cordoned off yesterday.

His family wanted the site where he died to be blessed before it was reopened to the public.

anna.leask@hos.co.nz