Man found dead under shed in Christchurch; suspect charged with false statement

More than a month after Braydon Hepworth was last seen, police uncovered his body beneath a shed at a vacant property linked to an associate who was among his last contacts. The 21-year-old’s remains were found shortly after a search warrant was carried out at the flat, and a post-mortem examination was unable to pinpoint the precise cause of death, prompting authorities to await additional forensic results. A 60-year-old man has been charged with providing a false statement to police and improperly offering an indignity to a dead human body; he appeared in court, received interim name suppression and was remanded in custody until his next appearance on October 29.

Investigators have described the case as “complex” and say it will take time to reconstruct Hepworth’s final moments. Hepworth had previously lived in transitional housing provided by Christchurch City Mission, which expressed deep sadness over his death and clarified that claims about his departure from the facility were inaccurate. The police investigation continues.