Police update media on unexplained Ellerslie death.
Police are treating the death of a man at an Auckland home as a homicide investigation and have released a photograph of the woman they are searching for in connection with the incident.
Police earlier said they were searching for a woman after they were called to the property on Celtic Cres, Ellerslie, at 7.58pm where a 66-year-old man was found dead.
“As part of our inquiries, police would like to hear from anyone who has seen or heard from Mei Han Chong, 67,” Beard said.
“Mei is described as of Asian descent, small in stature and has short, dark grey hair and will likely be wearing glasses. Police will look to issue a photo of Mei as soon as possible.”
Beard said Chong is the wife of the dead man. A family member found the man dead in the house.
“Police are working with and supporting the family through this tragic time.”
He confirmed the death is being treated as a homicide due to the “circumstances at the scene”.
“We are keeping an open mind to what happened,” Beard said about Chong.
“She could be a suspect or she could be a victim.”
Detective Inspector Scott Beard says police are treating the discovery of a man's body in Ellerslie last night as a homicide investigation.
“If the public see Mei, please contact the police and let us deal with her.”
There were currently no leads into the circumstances of how the man died, Beard said. He would not go into detail about the injuries the man had suffered.
Chong was last seen at the family home over the weekend.
Beard said there were currently no other properties in New Zealand under investigation. There was also no evidence to suggest Chong had left the country.
Police have not yet released the man’s name.
“Two things we need the public to assist us on, Mei and the blue Kia,” Beard said.
Police are asking for information or sightings of a blue Kia Rio, registration NJN927, which was last seen at the home in East Auckland.
At the house today, police and forensics staff - including some wearing boiler suits - continued to investigate. An officer was also flying a drone over the property.
Police at a property in Celtic Cres, Ellerslie after a man's body was found. Photo / Corey Fleming
A police spokesperson said there would be an increased police presence in the area today, including a scene guard at the property.
When the Herald visited the scene, at least seven police vehicles were there and a police marquee was erected on part of the property around 10.30am.
“Our focus is on establishing the circumstances surrounding the death and supporting the victim’s family at this difficult time,” the spokesperson said.
Police investigating an unexplained death in Ellerslie are seeking sightings of this Kia Rio vehicle. Photo / NZ Police
The scene examination was expected to take a couple of days.
A woman with cardboard boxes walked into one of the homes cordoned off in the two-unit building.
Neighbours didn’t hear anything unusual last night but one woman did say police told her a “serious incident” had occurred.
One passerby told the Herald the front unit of the property was only recently on the market and had sold.
Anyone with information that may assist police inquiries is asked to contact police via 105, quoting file number 231106/8053. Alternatively, information can be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.
