Police say they are piecing together the "tragic, violent" death of a Hamilton dad.
The body of John Isaac, 53, was discovered by members of the public in the river near Ngāruawāhia, with a homicide investigation being launched following a post mortem.
Today Inspector Darrell Harpur said Isaac, 53, was the victim of a violent attack on the afternoon of January 18, before his body was found in the river by a person passing by in a boat around 6.30pm.
"Mr Isaac’s movements leading up to his death are still being pieced together, and we would like to speak to anyone who may have seen or interacted with him in the days prior to last Thursday.
"He was last seen around 3pm on Wednesday 17 January 2024, wearing black cargo pants and a green t-shirt with a print of a gasmask while shopping on Avalon Drive, Nawton.
"Our investigation is focusing on the Waikato River and surrounding areas, and the public can expect to see a continued Police presence in the area as enquiries progress."
Harpur said there is somebody out there knows who is responsible for this, and exactly what happened.
"We urge them to come forward and tell Police what they know. This is a tragic end to a life that should not have been taken.
"We have a dedicated team working tirelessly to get answers on what happened to Mr Isaac, and to hold whoever is responsible, accountable for their actions.
"This all occurred in broad daylight, and we believe there are people out there who have information that will greatly assist our investigations.
"While we do not believe there is any ongoing threat to the public following this incident, Police will continue to have a visible presence around the area in the coming days."
Police would like to hear from anybody who was around the Waikato River area in the afternoon of January 18 and saw anything untoward, especially around any of the bridges between Hamilton and Ngāruawāhia.
"We believe some people will also have photos or videos from recreational activity in the river and the surrounding areas, we ask that you reach out to Police to provide anything that can assist."
Anyone with information is asked to call 105, or make a report online at 105.police.govt.nz, using the file number 240119/8775.
If people have footage, this can be provided to police via the following link - https://angelo.nc3.govt.nz/
Information can also be provided anonymously to CrimeStoppers by calling 0800 555 111.
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