Ōtorohanga homicide: Suppression granted as threats made against accused's relative

The two men, aged 30 and 39, appeared in the Hamilton District Court this morning charged with Anthony Bell's murder.

Two men accused of murdering a Te Kuiti father of six in an alleged road rage incident have appeared in court.

The men, a 39-year-old labourer from the Thames-Coromandel district and a 30-year-old Hamilton man, are jointly charged with the murder of Anthony Takrouna Bell in Ōtorohanga's main street on October 2.

The 30-year-old is also charged with assaulting a second victim using a hammer as a weapon.

They made a brief appearance before Judge Robert Spear in the Hamilton District Court this morning.

Lawyer David Allan, appearing on behalf of the pair's respective counsel, also asked for name suppression for the pair as a relative had already had threats made against her.

The suppression wasn't opposed by the Crown and granted by Judge Spear.

Neither of the men applied for bail.

The pair were remanded in custody and will reappear in the High Court at Hamilton later this month.

A close friend of Bell's family, Sarah-Jane Mills, has set up a givealittle page for the grieving whānau, including his partner Resden Stockman. The page was this morning just a few dollars away from $70,000.

Mills described Bell as a hard-working father of six and she hoped the money could help alleviate some financial stress as they grieve.

"Anthony Bell was a hard-working family man and had six children who he provided for ... I have created this to help Resden and her babies."