An investigation into the identity of a man who lay dead in a Wellington flat for more than a week is continuing today.
Police found the body of a 78-year-old man in a flat on the third floor of a Housing New Zealand apartment block on Dixon St in central Wellington at about 3.30pm yesterday.
Neighbours called police complaining of a strong smell coming from the flat.
A police spokesman said the man was last seen a couple of weeks ago, but he was unsure how long his body had lain undiscovered.
It is unknown how the man died but it did not appear to be suspicious.
The man's name may be released later today.
At the large block of flats there is no police presence this morning.
There is a light on at the dead man's third-floor flat and its windows are slightly ajar, allowing the now faint smell that alerted neighbours that all might not be well to escape.
Marcus Pohio has lived next door for two months and said he only saw the man, who he described as an older, thick-set Pakeha, six times.
The pair exchanged the odd good morning.
"He was always in a hurry to go somewhere."
Mr Pohio first noticed a strange smell last Tuesday but initially thought someone might have defecated outside, as has happened before.
Such events were unusual.
"It's a lovely place to live, clean and tidy."
But yesterday he noticed flies and rang the police.
"My mate said it smelled like someone died around here."
Today he was reflecting on the fact he could have been the last one to see the man alive.
"It's just shocking, it happened so close. I wish I'd got on to it earlier."
Mr Pohio wants to pass on his regards to the man's family.
Other neighbours were saddened to hear what happened.
Rick Shirley, who has lived there for 12 years, said the news was "terrible".
"It's really awful the way some people get isolated. We need more community in this building."
There was the odd communal event, such as a St Vincent de Paul dinner and the mingling that takes place during fire drills, but that was about it.
"These flats are really quiet and most people stick to themselves, which is a shame when you're sharing space with other people.
"I make a point of being friendly to everyone."
The body is the third previously undetected corpse found in Wellington in just over a year.
The body of 78-year-old Jim Grant was found in an apartment complex in central Wellington in March, after he was thought to have died two months earlier.
Last year Dean Stewart died in his Newtown house and wasn't found for months.
