At least two weapons were used in last week's axe attack in Upper Hutt that left a woman dead, police have said as they today continue scene examinations at a house in Timberlea.
A local contractor, Retimana Te Korou Nicholls, appeared in court on Friday charged with the 55-year-old woman's murder, following the incident on Thursday night.
The scene of the axe attack. Photo: RNZ / Diego Opatowski
Detective Inspector Darrin Thomson told Morning Report he believed there were at least two weapons used in the attack, which he described as not being random.
"The offender is known to three of the four victims, so it's not just someone who has come off the street and attacked somebody they didn't know.
"The exact reasoning behind the attacks we're still working our way through," he said.
The 36-year-old was also charged with causing grievous bodily harm to two men, aged 20 and 35, and assaulting another woman.
He was remanded in custody to reappear in the High Court on 26 January.
Mr Thomson said the injured men had been discharged from hospital.
He said the scene examination of a house in the suburb of Timberlea would go on for a few more days.
A post-mortem had been completed, but Mr Thomson would not comment further on it.
The alleyway connecting Blueberry Grove and Norana Road - where a woman was allegedly shoved against a fence. Photo: RNZ / Ceinwen Curtis
