Police launch homicide investigation after man fatally injured in Miramar street

News from NZ Police
The death of a man found critically injured in a Miramar street last week is now being treated as a homicide, as Police urgently seek two pedestrians, and motorists with dashcam footage.

Abdul Nabizadah, 63, was located with serious head injuries at the intersection of Camperdown Road and Totara Road, about 2.20am on 17 March. He died in hospital the following day.

A post-mortem determined Mr Nabizadah died as a result of blunt force injury after being assaulted, and further enquiries have led to the investigation being upgraded to a homicide this morning.

Dashcam footage, passersby may be critical to the investigation

As part of our investigation, we urgently need to hear from two people who had earlier passed by the area where Mr Nabizadah was found.

At 12.28am, a man was seen walking down Camperdown Road from Totara Street and turned right in to Darlington Road from Totara Street. The man was wearing a light-coloured top and dark pants.

We know Mr Nabizadah arrived in Totara Street in his silver-coloured Toyota Aqua, registration NQE681, at 12.25am, so this man may well have seen Mr Nabizadah and or his vehicle. We urge this person, or anyone who may know him, to come forward as soon as possible.

At 1.30am, a man in fitness clothing or activewear was seen running south on Darlington Road, before crossing the Camperdown Road intersection. He was wearing a blue shirt, and we also need to hear from him.

Just as crucially, the investigators need to hear from any motorist who has dashcam footage and was in the Miramar area between midnight and 3am on 17 March, in particular anyone who travelled through the intersection of Totara Street and Camperdown Road. Even if your footage shows no cars or people on the street, it’s important that we see it.

Parallel investigation into intruder burglary

Police are progressing a second investigation into a disturbing burglary, where two people found an intruder rummaging through their Darlington Road house about 2am on 17 March. During the burglary there was a physical altercation which caused an injury to the homeowner. We have yet to locate this offender, who had been wearing gumboots and a white cap, and is described by witnesses as possibly being of Māori descent, between 177-180cm tall (5’10” to 5’11”) and of and athletic build.

Investigators have been speaking with neighbours and reviewing evidence gathered at the scene, but we have yet to establish a link between the burglary and the death nearby of Mr Nabizadah.

Police are continuing to carry out reassurance patrols in the Miramar area. Investigation teams are working to get justice for the victims and their families. Police are providing uiesupport to both families.

If you have any information that could help the investigation teams, please update us online now or call 105. Please use the reference number 250317/6324, or reference Operation Celtic. Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

News from NZ Police – March 21
An investigation into a man’s unexplained death in Miramar is ongoing, with Police seeking dashcam footage from across the suburb. The victim was 63-year-old Abdul Nabizadah, originally from Afghanistan. He was found with serious head injuries at the intersection of Camperdown Road and Totara Road, about 2.20am on Monday.

Mr Nabizadah was found by Police carrying out area enquiries following a burglary that happened a short distance away about 20 minutes earlier.

Mr Nabizadah died in hospital the following day. A post-mortem on Wednesday found the cause of death was a result of blunt force head injuries.

Mr Nabizadah was not involved in the burglary, and we are still trying to establish how he was injured. Members of the public may play a crucial role in helping us piece together the events that unfolded early that morning, and Police are now widening our area of focus.

We would like to hear from any motorist who was driving in Miramar between midnight and 3am on Monday and has dashcam footage of their trip.

We would like to hear from anyone in the Nevay Road, Camperdown Road and Darlington Road area between 12.20am and 3am that same morning. Mr Nabizadah was wearing a brown jacket with a blue t-shirt underneath, black trousers, and light brown coloured shoes. He was located near his vehicle, a silver-coloured Toyota Aqua, with the registration NQE681.

If you saw a person fitting that description, please contact us as soon as possible.

As part of the investigation, we are reviewing CCTV and are continuing enquiries into the movements of the victim, including to establish if his death and the burglary are linked.

Burglary enquiries ongoing

Parallel investigations are under way into the man’s unexplained death and the burglary, where a man entered a Darlington Road home before being challenged by one of the occupants.

A number of enquiries are ongoing to locate the person responsible for this burglary. Again, the community may be able to help us. We still want to hear from anyone who has had clothing, shoes or other items go missing in Darlington Road, Totara Road and Camperdown Road, particularly the block north of Camperdown Road.

We also want to hear from anyone who locates any discarded items of property on their sections, and anyone who has seen but not reported suspicious activity or prowling in the area over the last couple of weeks, including any previously unreported thefts from properties or vehicles since early March.

If you have any information that could help our enquiries, please update us online now or call 105. Please use the reference number 250317/6324, or reference Operation Celtic. Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

Report from RNZ – March 18
A man who was found critically injured on a roadside in Miramar, soon after a home invasion, has died in hospital. The man was found on a footpath about 2.20am on Monday, at the intersection of Camperdown Road and Totara Road.

The discovery followed the burglary of a Darlington Road address 20 minutes earlier, when two adults found a stranger in their home. After being confronted and fighting with one of the residents, the intruder fled.

Police investigating the burglary then found the injured and unconscious man a short distance from his vehicle.

Parallel investigations are under way and police are still working to determine if there is any link between the two.

Police confirmed today that the intruder was unknown to the residents of the house that he broke into.

“They do not know him, and do not know why he was in their house,” Detective Inspector Nick Pritchard said. “We know these events will cause concern in the community and we are working hard to answer the many questions around Monday morning’s incidents.”

However, police do not know whether there is a connection between the intruder and the deceased, but that is a focus of the investigation, Pritchard said.

Police are carrying out “reassurance patrols” in the Miramar area and these will continue over coming days.

District improvement group Enterprise Miramar Peninsula Inc said following recent burglaries a community member had suggested they arrange a meeting between the community, police, and members of Wellington City Council.

“We have previously contacted WCC to request more CCTV cameras in strategic locations,” it said in a post online. “While we secured two cameras, the Peninsula needs more. To further assist the police, we have been asked to encourage community members to install CCTV cameras in their homes. It is regrettable that our community has come to this point.”

Neighbours heard raised voices outside the Darlington Road house in the early hours of Monday morning. Brian More, who lives next door, told RNZ he heard a fight and his wife rang the police. “When it occurred we had a quick look around, and it looked okay, but the noise had gone away, so we didn’t realise how serious it was at the time.”

Another neighbour, Colin Ward, said he woke to see police on the driveway with torches. “It’s certainly a concern, because Miramar’s a pretty quiet place really, and we don’t have too much trouble around this area, but it’s pretty serious.”

News from NZ Police
We would like to hear from anybody who walked or drove in the area near Camperdown Road and Totora Road between 12.30am and 2.30am on Monday. You may not think you have anything to contribute, but we would like to know what you may have seen, or view any dashcam footage.

Public appeal

We ask that residents in Darlington Road, Totara Road and Camperdown Road, particularly the block north of Camperdown Road, to check their properties for any missing clothing from clotheslines or missing footwear or other items. We also want to hear from anyone who locates any discarded items of property on their sections.

Investigators also want to hear of any sightings of any suspicious persons in this area between 12.30am and 2.30am on Monday, or from anyone with CCTV footage. We are particularly interested in any sightings of a man wearing a white cap, shorts and gumboots.

Police would also like to hear of any suspicious activity or people prowling in the area over the last couple of weeks, including any previously unreported thefts from properties or vehicles since early March.

Enquiries ongoing

Police are still completing scene examinations and will be visiting properties to ask residents if they saw anything of relevance to the investigation and whether they have CCTV footage.

Earlier report from Wellington.Scoop
Police have not yet found the home invader who injured a Miramar resident yesterday morning. Police are continuing inquiries in Miramar today.

RNZ reports that Marie Ward, who lives near the invaded house, is ensuring her doors are bolted and has changed her walking route to avoid hidden pathways. Local business owner and resident Vijay Patal said the home invasion came as a shock. “I’ve been here for 28 years, it’s really peaceful here, hardly anything happens.”

Wellington.Scoop – March 17
A Miramar resident was hurt in a fight with an intruder in their home early this morning. And shortly after, an injured person was found unconscious on a street nearby. Police are trying to decide if the two overnight incidents are linked.

News from NZ Police
At 2am, Police were called to a Darlington Road house, where the occupants had found an intruder inside their home. One occupant received minor injuries following an altercation with the suspect, who fled before Police arrived. Three other occupants were unharmed.

A police dog unit tracked the intruder north of the bus turnaround for several hundred metres until the trail was lost.

About 2.30am, Police on patrol found a person unconscious and critically injured near the intersection of Camperdown Road and Totara Road. The victim was taken to hospital, where he remains in a critical condition.

We are making a number of enquiries into both incidents and are working to determine whether they are linked. There will be a visible Police presence in the area while we carry out this work and speak with residents.

We would like to hear from anyone with information that may help our enquiries.

It is possible the intruder has gone to other addresses in the immediate area. Police are asking that residents on upper Darlington Road (north of Camperdown Road), and residents near the intersection of Camperdown Road and Totara Road to report any unusual or suspicious activity overnight.

We are also asking residents to check their sections and yards for any items that may have been stolen or discarded by the offender, described as a tall man of thin, athletic build, wearing a white cap.

Also of interest, is any CCTV that may assist the investigation. If you can help, please make a report via 105, referencing the case number 250317/6324.