A man who was found dead at a house in Woodville on Sunday was shot, police confirmed today as they released his name.

Less than 48 hours into their holiday, two US tourists were the victims of a "vicious and unprovoked" attack in Northland - and one will need reconstructive surgery.

Police have confirmed that a man attacked at an Auckland motel died of head injuries.

Family of man who died in hospital after attack Auckland motel say they are shocked as post-mortem examination to uncover exact cause of fatal injuries.

Police have named the victim who died in hospital after suffering injuries at a motel in Epsom yesterday, but are still hunting two men over the death.

A homicide investigation has been launched after a man died at Auckland City Hospital this afternoon.

A senior policeman is recovering from facial injuries after an alleged attack by a man he pulled over at the weekend - not the first time he has been assaulted on the job.

A woman has been charged over the death of a man at a 21st party in Auckland at the weekend.

A missing jacket and sightings of a vehicle are part of the focus by police investigating the axe murder of a woman in Upper Hutt last Thursday.

Three people have been charged with the murder of Hutt Valley man whose body was found near his Toyota Corolla in thick bush off Paekakariki Hill Road.

The man accused of stabbing his wife to death and attempting to murder his stepdaughter and her boyfriend in Auckland will defend the charges.

The man charged with killing a New Zealander whose remains were found in a chilly bin in rural Queensland is due to have his case heard in court today.

The family of an Otago man beaten to death in a prolonged and brutal attack cried out with pain and relief as his ''gutless'' killers were found guilty of murder.

The scene where an Upper Hutt mother died in a brutal axe attack remains cordoned off today, with investigators combing the area.

A warm-hearted Upper Hutt mother died at her home protecting her son from an axeman, her friends say.

The man charged with the axe murder of an Upper Hutt woman has been named. One woman said the violent incident was a huge shock to the quiet community.

Convicted murderer Phillip Smith has made allegations that a "corrupt" corrections officer helped him escape custody last month.

Convicted murderer and child abuser Phillip John Smith has appeared in court via video link, looking starkly different without his hairpiece.

Forensic scientists have spent a week at a house in Epuni, Lower Hutt, combing it for evidence that a murdered local man who was an extra in two Peter Jackson movies was attacked there.

A funeral for Auckland woman Heidi Welman-Scott, who was allegedly stabbed to death by her estranged husband, has been held this morning.

The man accused of punching an All Black's heavily pregnant wife in the face has denied the offending.

This week, the state of Texas intends to execute Scott Panetti, who in 1992 shot dead his mother-in-law and father-in-law in front of his estranged wife and their 3-year-old daughter.

One person has been killed in clashes between Egyptian police and protesters in central Cairo after a court dropped a murder case against ousted strongman Hosni Mubarak.

Brent Scott appeared in court this morning wearing prison issue blue overalls. He was charged with the murder and attempted murder.

A man accused of killing a woman in their Auckland home can now be named.

One of the killers of Fusilier Lee Rigby posted extremist messages on social media websites for six months without the authorities being alerted.

June Steenkamp says Oscar Pistorius treated Reeva like his "arm candy" and tried to dictate what she wore, how she behaved and how she spoke prior to killing her on Valentine's Day in 2013.