Police at a house in the Wellington suburb of Roseneath after two people were found dead. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Police have confirmed they are treating the deaths of a British couple in the Wellington suburb of Roseneath as a murder-suicide.
Police previously said they were not seeking anyone else in relation to the deaths, which would be referred to the coroner.
A concerned family member asked officers to do a welfare check on the occupants of the Palliser Road property about 10.25pm on Monday.
Police forced their way in and found two people dead.
Support was being provided to the family involved, who have requested privacy while they grieve, police said.
"Police will continue to have a presence in the area as we work to understand the reasoning behind this tragic incident," Detective Inspector Haley Ryan said earlier on Wednesday.
"We would like to hear from anyone who may have information that can help our enquiries, and anyone with residential CCTV that captures traffic movements in the Roseneath area, particularly on Palliser Road and surrounding streets, is asked to contact us."
The British couple had fallen in love with New Zealand and recently decided to settle here for good, their neighbour says.
Emma Prestidge moved with her husband Paul to the street in December. She said the couple next door, who she thought were in their fifties, were British and had been boarding there with the owner.
Prestidge said the man had been living and working here in the science sector, and the woman had been back and forth between New Zealand and London a few times, but settled here in December.
She said the woman had been a teacher, but was unsure if she had found work in New Zealand yet.
"My understanding is they'd finally ... packed up their lives in London, and all their stuff was in a shipping container, and they were kind of looking to move here for good," she said.
"They were ... in the next phase of their life, I guess, and ready to kind of set themselves up for the next part of their chapter, which is ... truly sad."
The couple were outdoorsy and had fallen in love with New Zealand, Prestidge said. They were considering moving to central Otago, which she understood would be closer to some of their adult children.
"They love the wildlife ... they just loved the open air space.
"The lady said to me that, you know, previously in London, she kind of felt a little bit unsafe wherever she went.
"In New Zealand, she just felt ... a sense of calm and and just felt like she was able to really enjoy her life here."
The couple were found dead at a property on Palliser Road in Roseneath. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
The day the Prestidges moved in, they met the woman as they were carting boxes to their new home.
"She was absolutely lovely," Prestidge said.
"I just thought, well, what a lovely person, like I feel lucky to have them as neighbours."
Prestidge met the woman's husband and the property owner on their shared path a few days later, and they invited the Prestidges over for dinner.
The Prestidges ended up locking themselves out of their house and stayed late with their neighbours as they waited for a locksmith.
"They were just ... really warm and inviting," she said.
Prestidge had no idea what had happened, and said she was shocked to learn of their deaths.
"They didn't seem like a couple that would have any kind of, you know, issues with each other or anything like that," she said.
"And definitely, their relationship with [their landlord] was just really ... one of deep friendship, I'd say."
Their deaths were a tragedy, she said.
"These people ... could contribute so much to New Zealand, and they're the kind of people that you dream of having as neighbours.
"It's certainly a loss."
Anyone with information, or footage from the Palliser Road or surrounding streets, was asked to call Police on 105, or to visit their Update Report page online at 105.police.govt.nz and quote file number 250401/2474 or "Operation Palliser". Information could also be provided anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, or on their website.
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