Police investigating the death of a central Hawke's Bay man have found a knife on a road side, although they will not speculate on its relevance.
Mark McCutcheon, 34, was fatally stabbed last Friday after he intervened in a domestic dispute outside a hotel in the township of Ongaonga.
He was found dead on Saturday morning in his ute, after running off the road about 1.5km from the pub.
On Wednesday, police charged a gang associate, 22, with assaulting Mr McCutcheon.
Detective Senior Sergeant Dave de Lange says police, with the help of friends and family of the victim, searched both sides of the road.
About 1km from the hotel they found a knife in the grass, while a pouch which fits the knife turned up about 400 metres away
The knife has been sent for forensic testing.
