A Flaxmere man has pleaded guilty in the High Court at Napier to the manslaughter of his uncle.
Police began a homicide investigation in April this year after Dean Peni died at a house during a party.
A post-mortem showed Mr Peni, 39, died from blows to the head which ruptured an artery.
Police initially charged his nephew James Peni, 25, with assault.
Peni will be sentenced in November on the manslaughter charge.
