Police are reviewing new information about the 26-year-old murder of David John Robinson after canvassing the small West Coast settlement of Kakapotahi.
Detective Inspector Geoff Baber says after re-interviewing individuals in mid-February, new information and lines of enquiry had come to light.
“The dedicated investigation team based in Hokitika Police Station, are following these new leads, and are interviewing new people now located across the West Coast and some other parts of the South Island.”
The initial homicide investigation was launched on 28 December 1998, after the body of David was located on a remote West Coast beach near Ross, where it had laid for up to two weeks.
Cold cases like David’s murder are periodically reviewed with the aim of identifying opportunities to solve them and bring closure to loved ones, says Detective Inspector Baber.
“Our goal is to get justice for David, and answers for his family.”
It has been reported that a single gunshot was heard by a number of people in the Kakapotahi settlement between 14 and 18 December around 10am and 10:30am – approximately two weeks before David’s body was located about 3 kilometres away.
“There has been no explanation to date as to what that single gunshot was.
“If you know something, we encourage you to come forward and speak to us.”
If you have information that could help Police’s investigation, please email us via the Cold Case form on the New Zealand Police website, or call 105 and reference the case number 231129/2221.
