Trial date set for 1979 cold case murder

The Rotorua man accused of the 1979 murder of Rodney Tahu will stand trial in April next year.

The case was called in the High Court at Rotorua this morning,

Menzies Reginald John Hallett, 70, earlier entered a plea of not guilty through his lawyer, Paul Mabey, QC.

He was today remanded on bail until April 22, 2013 for his trial which is expected to take two weeks.

Mr Tahu, a service station attendant, was found in a pool of blood by a truck driver on the forecourt of the Shell service station in Turangi. He died at Taumarunui Hospital from gunshot wounds.