Crime show Police Ten-7 will feature the death of 20-year-old Israel Jack this Thursday to help uncover more information and witnesses.
Police Ten-7 presenter Graham Bell and Detective Senior Sergeant Zane Smith revisit key locations on Te Ngae Road including the Caltex service station where Mr Jack was last seen alive, an area where his baseball cap was located, and the scene where he was found dead on Sunday, 18 August.
Retired Detective Inspector Graham Bell believes the answer to Israel's death lies in Rotorua. “They're the ones who can provide information. It only takes a little bit of information, and often people don't realise but it can be important."
A number of questions surrounding Mr Jack's death still remain and will feature in the show.
The person who first located the baseball cap belonging to Israel Jack on the morning he died is still to be identified. The black cap with a white Starter logo on the back was handed in by someone who found it placed on a fencepost on Te Ngae Road, near Pohutukawa Drive at approximately 6.30am on Sunday, 18 August. This was about 300 metres from the spot where Mr Jack died.
"We know Mr Jack was wearing the cap at 4.20 that morning,” said Detective Senior Sergeant Zane Smith. “He was found dead just five minutes later and the cap was not with him when Police and emergency services arrived at the scene. It is therefore really important that we identify and speak to the person who located it and placed it on the fencepost. They may not realise it, but they could hold vital witness information that will assist this investigation."
A lot of beneficial information has been provided to police both directly and through Crimestoppers but police are still appealing for more.
"Although some weeks have now passed it is as important today as it was on the 19th August that we locate any witnesses or people who have information relevant to this investigation. We are hoping the visual medium of Police Ten-7 will help jog memories and bring forward more information forward. We also want people to think back to where they were the night of the first All Blacks test against Australia in Sydney as it was just hours later that Mr Jack died.”
Police still want to hear from anyone who was on Te Ngae Road, Owhata Road or in and around the Te Ngae shopping centre between 4am and 5am on Sunday, 18 August.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Rotorua Police on 07 348 0099. Alternatively information can be provided anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
Police Ten-7 can be viewed at 7.30pm this Thursday (19 September) on TV2.
Media enquiries should be referred to Communications Manager Kim Perks on 027 234 8256.