Cause of suspicious death still unknown

An investigation into the death of Ian White is ongoing. Photo / Ben Fraser

It will be a month tomorrow since Ian White's body was found in his Peace St home, and police are still waiting to confirm his cause of death.

Mr White, 58, was found dead on May 3 and police deemed the Rotorua man's death suspicious.

District field crime manager Detective Senior Sergeant Lew Warner told the Rotorua Daily Post yesterday that police were still waiting for forensic results to come back.

A pathologist had been working with a forensic team to determine the cause of death and this process could take up to three weeks or more.

"Unfortunately it can be a long wait for forensic evidence to come back," Mr Warner said.

He said police hoped to have the results back next week.

Sandra Bristowe, a neighbour and friend of Mr White's late mother, said the waiting was "just frustrating".

"I have heard these things can take a long time, so I wait," she said. "I'm keeping busy, but it's in the back of my mind all the time, I keep wondering what went on?

"It's a dead end, that's how I feel."