Investigations into the death of a 54 year old man in Epsom are continuing today as Police piece together the victim’s movements in the time leading up to his death.
Ihaia Gillman-Harris had been in Wellington with family on Christmas Day and travelled to Auckland on Boxing Day in a silver Mazda 626 sedan (registration WJ2383). He arrived in Auckland, where he lives, in the evening of Boxing Day.
On the morning of Saturday 27 December, he checked into a motel in Epsom with two other men and was found a short time later having been assaulted. He was taken to hospital by ambulance and later died in hospital.
The two men he arrived with left the motel in the victim’s black 2002 Range Rover (registration EUE515) shortly before 9am.
This vehicle was found in Pakuranga later that day.
Police are interested to hear from anyone who may have seen the victim in either of the vehicles he was travelling in at any point on Boxing Day or on 27 December.
“Mr Gillman-Harris lived a private life and we are interested to hear from anyone who knows anything about him and could shed some information on the life he lived,” says Detective Inspector Scott Beard of Auckland City CIB. “He travelled for a large part of the day on Boxing Day and we believe that a number of people will have seen him driving between Wellington and Auckland in the Mazda, and around Auckland on the 27th in the Range Rover.”
A scene examination at the motel has been completed and a post-mortem examination will be conducted on Mr Gillman-Harris’s body tomorrow. Police are not able to confirm if there was any weapon used in the assault and will not discuss any potential motive for the attack.
“While it is the festive season, this is a tragic incident and we are doing everything we can to support Mr Gillman-Harris’s family at this time,” says Detective Inspector Scott Beard. “What we now require is the support of the public to help us identify the people seen in the CCTV footage.”
A photo of Mr Gillman-Harris is attached to this press release.
ENDS
Issued by Kimberley Mathews/Communications Manager
021 192 0717
