A fourth person was arrested last evening in relation to the alleged murder of Elderslie farm worker Justin McFarlane.
A 22-year-old man was arrested after being located yesterday by Police on a public bus travelling north from Dunedin to Oamaru late yesterday afternoon.
Police involved in the investigation were travelling south to Dunedin at the time and had previously received information which suggested that the 22-year-old man and his girlfriend could be on the bus. The man was taken to Dunedin Central Police station for questioning and remanded in custody to appear in the Dunedin District Court today.
He is the fourth person charged in the case. His arrest follows the arrest on Monday of a 23-year-old Oamaru man, and the earlier arrests of a 22 and 18-year-old man. These three have been remanded in custody to appear in the Timaru District Court on 1 October.
Acting Detective Inspector Colin Blackie is confident that all of the people involved in the murder of Mr McFarlane have now been located and arrested by Police.
"We are however assessing the potential involvement of a fifth person, who we have been speaking with," he said.
The scene will be completed at Mr McFarlane's house in Pine Hill Road today where Mr McFarlane was found dead in the early hours of Wednesday morning (11 September). The forensic examination of the Nissan Skyline car, where the 23-year-old man arrested and charged yesterday was found in the boot, has also been completed.
Police have a number of scenes that they are continuing to examine as part of the investigation.
Acting Detective Inspector Blackie says the Operation Steelers investigation team has been very grateful for good information they've received from members of the public, including sightings of the vehicles believed to be linked to the case.
"However, it's also been disappointing that a number of people appear to have been assisting those now facing murder charges either to evade Police or to destroy evidence that might be crucial to the case.”
Yesterday Police arrested a 52-year-old Oamaru woman charged with being an accessory after the fact in relation the alleged murder of Mr McFarlane. She is due to appear in the Dunedin District Court later this week.
Police say that those people who may have assisted in protecting those now charged in relation to Mr McFarlane's death are likely to be the focus of further inquiries.
ENDS
Released by Acting Detective Inspector Colin Blackie, Southern Police