He was discovered critically injured with stab wounds on Alexander Ave in Napier by police responding to reports of disorder at a birthday party nearby.
He died at the scene despite the efforts of ambulance staff to save him.
Ric Stevens spent many years working for the former New Zealand Press Association news agency, including as a political reporter at Parliament, before holding senior positions at various daily newspapers. He joined NZME’s Open Justice team in 2022 and is based in Hawke’s Bay. His writing in the crime and justice sphere is informed by four years of frontline experience as a probation officer.
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