Homicide investigation launched after woman found dead in Wellington

A homicide investigation is under way after a woman was found dead at her home in Miramar on Monday, police have confirmed.

Detective Senior Sergeant Tim Leitch said officers were called to the Totara Road property in Miramar just after 2pm, where a woman in her 60s was found dead.

A witness to the police activity, Chris Budge, was nearby when he saw two police cars “scream past”.

He told Stuff four armed officers were at the scene, and there were five marked police cars. Four unmarked cars also arrived, as well as what he believed was a crime scene van and a vehicle carrying police dogs.

“The officers we saw were in a defensive posture and looked like they were about to go in,” he said.

When they left the area at around 3pm, he said it looked like police were allowing locals access to the blocked off area of the road.

A Stuff reporter at the scene said police were carrying gear into the house shortly before 7pm, while an armed officer stood guard at one end of the road block.

Cordons were in place – at the intersections of Totara and Camperdown Roads, and Totara and Nevay Roads – while police made enquiries.

Leitch said the cordons will remain in place around the property for the next few days, and residents can expect to see police presence overnight and Tuesday morning as the scene is examined.

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Police do not believe there to be any risk to the wider community.

Members of the public around the Totara Road area who saw or heard anything suspicious between early Saturday morning and early Sunday morning were asked to call 105 and quote file number 231016/0002.