Unexplained Parnell death: Police name victim as 59-year-old Leiann Rae Davis

“Police have since completed a scene examination at her apartment and the circumstances of her death remain under investigation.”

Police are now awaiting further detailed pathology results.

Friend said a funeral was held for Davis over the weekend, and police were continuing to support her whānau through the process.

AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.Officers carry equipment inside an apartment block on Cracroft St, Parnell, where 59-year-old Leiann Rae Davis died in “unexplained” circumstances.

Davis was found after emergency services were called to an apartment block on Cracroft St just after 9.30pm last Thursday.

“A woman was located unresponsive inside a unit, and on ambulance staff attending, she was pronounced deceased.

“The circumstances of her death are unclear, and police have commenced an investigation,” Friend said.

Police at the scene last week. Photo / Dean Purcell

Two days later, police were still unable to provide information on the death.

On Friday, police conducted a scene examination, and the entrance to the lower level of the apartment block was taped off with a “police emergency” cordon.

Detectives were seen carrying equipment into the building alongside officers in boiler suits.

Curtains across the apartments were drawn, which had old Housing New Zealand signage outside.

The ageing block has a broken window and graffiti on the stairwell window.

A former neighbour, Jack Riddell, said he lived near the apartments from 2018 to 2019 and described them as “dodgy as hell”.

Police cordon off an entrance to the apartment block on Cracroft St.

“I remember walking past and regularly seeing people fighting, under the influence of alcohol and drugs, and all kinds of yelling at all hours of day and night.

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“It was a nightmare then and sounds like it still is.”

“At this very early stage, we are treating the woman’s death as unexplained,” Friend said.

“As part of our investigation, a post-mortem is scheduled to be carried out today.”

A former neighbour described the apartment block as “dodgy as hell”.

Police had two scene guards in place at the unit overnight.

“Police will remain in the Parnell area as part of our inquiries,” Friend said.

Jaime Lyth is a multimedia journalist for the NZ Herald, focusing on crime and breaking news. Lyth began working under the NZ Herald masthead in 2021 as a reporter for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei.

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