New Zealand police have launched a murder-suicide investigation after the bodies of a couple were found in a Wellington suburb.
Officers responded to a welfare check at a property in the beach-side community of Roseneath on Monday, where they found the bodies.
Local media reports suggest the couple, who have not yet been formally identified, were British citizens and had relocated to New Zealand towards the end of last year. Further details are expected to be released as the investigation progresses.
A police spokesman said: “Police can confirm that the deaths of two people at a residential property on Palliser Road, Roseneath, is being treated as a murder-suicide investigation.
“Police are providing support to the family at the centre of this tragic event. The family have requested privacy as they grieve their loss.”
Speaking earlier, Detective Inspector Haley Ryan said police were not looking for anyone else in relation to the incident.
“Based on the results of a scene examination and other inquiries, we will be referring the case to the coroner,” she said.
“Post-mortems were completed today, and police will continue to have a presence in the area as we work to understand the reasoning behind this tragic incident.”
Roseneath in New Zealand:
Ms Ryan confirmed that officers had forced their way into the home after being contacted by a concerned family member.
In a statement shared with the New Zealand Herald, the couple’s landlord referred to the pair as “my British lodgers”.
“Both they and their family lived life to the absolute full and were always planning or doing amazing adventures,” the owner said.
“They were both such positive and incredible parents, friends, and members of many communities.”
Neighbour Emma Prestidge told Radio New Zealand the couple had moved to the area from London.
“My understanding is they’d finally … packed up their lives in London and all their stuff was in a shipping container, and they were kind of looking to move here for good,” she said.
“They were … in the next phase of their life, I guess, and ready to kind of set themselves up for the next part of their chapter, which is … truly sad.”
Ms Ryan urged anyone with information to contact police.
“We would like to hear from anyone who may have information that can help our inquiries,” she said.
“Anyone with residential CCTV that captures traffic movements in the Roseneath area, particularly on Palliser Road and surrounding streets, is asked to contact us.”
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and New Zealand Coroner’s Office have been contacted for comment.
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