The body of Maqbool Hussain, 49, was found at the garage he lived in behind a former green grocery store in Balmoral this week after suffering what police described as a violent death.
Detective Inspector Chris Cahill said Mr Hussain had been fatally assaulted sometime between 6.30pm on Saturday, March 22 and midday on Monday, March 24.
Police said today they wanted to locate 28-year-old Justin Vance Turner who was recently arrested for breaching his prison release conditions.
Turner was a transient but was known to have frequented Balmoral over the past month. Mr Cahill said Turner was a person of interest in the homicide investigation.
Police also revealed today that they visited Mr Hussain at his temporary squat, only metres away from the Balmoral community policing station, the last evening he was seen alive.
Two officers, accompanied by two Asian Safety Patrol volunteers, were in the area at 6.30pm on Saturday after being asked by a local business operator to speak to Mr Hussain about recent behaviour in the neighbourhood.
Mr Cahill said the officers and volunteers provided valuable information to the investigation and confirmed Mr Hussain was in the company of another man at the time he was visited.
Mr Hussain was originally from Pakistan but had lived in New Zealand since 1992. He had been living at the squat for the better part of a year.
He is survived by his estranged wife and daughter, who live overseas.
The owner of a liquor store Mr Hussain frequented daily said this week Mr Hussain had lost his wife and daughter and his business before succumbing to alcoholism and life on the streets.
He is the third homeless person in Auckland to meet a violent end in the past 12 months.
Turner was described being of Caucasian appearance with olive skin, short black hair, brown eyes and bushy eyebrows. He has a prominent nose, is 176 tall, medium build and a neck tattoo of a dog wearing a spiked collar
Anyone who had information on Mr Hussain's death or with information about Turner was asked to either call the investigation team on 09 820 5763, e-mail christopher.cahill@police.govt.nz or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
- By Brendan Manning of APNZ
