Four accused of Rotorua killing

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Two adults and two youths have now been charged in relation to the death of a 64-year-old man in Rotorua.

Rawiri James Samuel, 21, a baker, was remanded in custody when he appeared in the Rotorua District Court yesterday for the alleged murder of Roman Henry Skovek.

A 20-year-old man has also been charged with murder and appeared in the Rotorua District Court today.

He was granted interim name suppression and remanded in custody until a bail application next week.

Skovek's body was found lying in Kuirau Park early on Tuesday morning.

It is understood he died of stab wounds to his face and body.

Two youths, aged 15 and 14, appeared in the Rotorua Youth Court yesterday charged with assault in connection with Mr Skovek's death.

Media were barred from attending the Youth Court hearing.

Detective Inspector Mark Loper said the two youths might face more serious charges.

The four arrests came as police raided three houses in Rotorua on Wednesday and found property belonging to Mr Skovek, he said.

Police divers also searched a stream, west of the city, looking for belongings of Mr Skovek.

Skovek had recently moved to Rotorua and had been staying at the Crash Palace Backpackers hostel.

He had no family in New Zealand but is understood to have a daughter in the United States, a police spokeswoman said.

Before moving to Rotorua Mr Skovek had been living in Niue.

Crash Palace Backpackers owner Chris Woodney said Mr Skovek had been coming to Rotorua and staying at the hostel each summer for the past five years.

"He was a free spirit, a really lovely gentlemanly guy who would give the shirt off his back to you."

He was well known among the backpacking travelling fraternity for sharing knowledge of places he had been to.

"He definitely was not a suit and tie person – he was more a lavalava, jandals and T-shirt guy."

Woodney said Skovek often helped around the hostel with maintenance and odd jobs.

"He was an older guy who just wanted to help out and keep himself occupied.

"He was awesome.

"The last time I talked to him was on Saturday when he was fixing a door which was jamming."

Skovek had cooked a meal for two staff members on Sunday night.

The evening before he died he went to the local Lava Bar, opposite the park, to have a beer, Mr Woodney said.

A passer-by discovered his body about 1am on Tuesday in the park about 200 metres across the road from the bar premises.

- © Fairfax NZ News