Three face charges in aftermath of city death

PETER DRURY/Waikato Times

KEEPING INFORMED: Police chat with whanau and friends of a 28-year-old man beaten to death outside his Chartwell house early Thursday morning.

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Three people face charges after a Hamilton man was beaten to death after a drinking session at his Chartwell home early Thursday morning.

Although no one has been charged with the 28-year-old's murder, further charges were likely. Dallas Jaycee Alan Vanderdrift, father of one, died after being hit over the head with a hammer and then kicked on the ground.

Acting Detective Senior Sergeant Nigel Keall said one man faced a charge of possession of an offensive weapon, a second man had been charged with assaulting the victim, and a third man was arrested for breaching bail.

Yesterday forensic investigators scoured the victim's property for clues and recovered "a number of items" which were being examined, Mr Keall said. An autopsyon the man's body was being carried out in Auckland.

Whanau and friends began congregating outside the cordon from early yesterday morning. A karakia was held as the man's body was carried into a waiting hearse about 1pm.

A friend of Mr Vanderdrift contacted by the Waikato Times last night, saying: "They are being strong and positive about things."

The friend said Mr Vanderdrift was not involved in any gang and what resulted was "unbelievable". "It was a situation where a family was having a few drinks, not a big party, and then I don't what happened after that. The whole family is distraught but they're trying to keep positive."

Waikato police area commander Allan Boreham and Hamilton crime services manager Inspector Russell Le Prou visited the scene yesterday.

- © Fairfax NZ News