Opotiki death now being treated as homicide

Attribute to Detective Senior Sergeant Greg Standen, Eastern Area Manager: Investigations: 
 
Eastern Bay of Plenty CIB officers have returned to Opotiki this week to revisit the case of Brian Albert Hilton, who died after suffering serious injuries in his home in 2016. 
 
On 7 July 2016 Mr Hilton was admitted to Tauranga Hospital with facial injuries, from what was believed at the time to be a fall in his home. 
 
He died six days later. 
 
We have recently received new information and as a result are reopening the investigation and treating Mr Hilton's death as a homicide. 
 
Eastern Bay of Plenty Police are absolutely determined to hold the person who committed this extremely serious crime to account, and bring this case to a conclusion.
 
ENDS 
 
Issued by Police Media Centre.