Police fear the wife of a man killed in Auckland's Ellerslie over the weekend may also be the victim of foul play.
Detective Inspector Scott Beard said this afternoon he believed the death of Fuk-Fu Joseph Kwok, 66, occurred after midnight on Saturday night. He was found dead by a family member on Monday evening.
"Unfortunately, our inquiries to date suggest that Mei Han Chong – the wife of the deceased man, Joseph Kwok – may also be the victim of foul play," Beard told media at a news conference this afternoon.
Beard said the deceased had suffered multiple stab wounds: "It was quite brutal."
And the nature of the injuries suggested more than one person was involved, he added.
"Sadly, we've not received any information on the whereabouts of Mei or the blue Kia Rio motor vehicle," Beard said.
"We have grave concerns for her safety and welfare."
The pair's son told police he's "devastated", adding that Chong's disappearance is "totally out of character".
Chong, 67, is described as being "of Asian descent, small in stature and has short dark grey hair and will likely be wearing glasses".
Police are also appealing for any sightings of the couple's blue Kia Rio, registration NJN927, that was last seen at the property.
"We're working hard to try and find her," Beard said. "But we need the public's assistance.
"Someone out there must know something or have seen something.
"And even if it's trivial to them, it could well be important to the police investigation.
"This is like a jigsaw, we're trying to put pieces together."
Beard reiterated that the son is grieving over his missing mother and his murdered father.
"If you're a family person you would understand how the son would feel," he said.
"From a police perspective, we want to do the right thing, we want to find mum for him."
He said the plates on the blue Kia Rio might have been changed.
"We don't know the motive," Beard added. "We need some help, not only for the family but for the public as well."
Answering questions from reporters, Beard said "the circumstances" inside the house suggested Chong hadn't left of her own accord.
And "the indication is that Mei didn't drive".
"At this stage, we haven't found anything that we believe could be the murder weapon," Beard said, adding the scene examination is "quite complex" – but there are no concerns for the wider community's safety at this stage.
"Obviously people need to be vigilant, if they see something suspicious [then] contact the police," Beard told reporters.
"It would appear that this was a targeted attack, but we just don't know why."
He also shed light on Kwok's movements over the weekend.
"We know that Mr Kwok left work at 11pm on Saturday night and drove home," Beard said. "It takes about half an hour and, from there, the vehicle's missing."
The family had lived in the property for 12 years, police understand.
Anyone with information is urged to call 105, referencing file number 231106/8053.
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