Police say their investigation into the brutal slaying of Opotiki widower John Rowe remains homed in on a "small group" who are still refusing to speak to them.
Detective Senior Sergeant Greg Standen last night would not say how many people were in the group, whom police believe were holding crucial information on the homicide.
The 78-year-old retired teacher was found bashed to death, lying on his bed on November 25.
Det Snr Sgt Standen said the police inquiry was not ignoring other people or issues of interest on the periphery of the investigation, but they were "keenly interested" in the group, whom they believed held crucial information.
"We certainly think the group we're focusing on has information that is going to be of huge benefit to the police to solve this murder."
Police are hoping the group might assist them soon.
"It just takes some of these groups a little while to realise that police are not going to go away and the serious nature of it begins to hit home and their conscience starts playing a part."
Det Snr Sgt Standen said, in general, police were finding more and more suspects were refusing to talk to them.
The issue came to a head over the death of 3-month-old twins Chris and Cru Kahui in June 2006, when family members refused to talk to police.
"It's not uncommon in police work," Det Snr Sgt Standen said.
"I'm not talking about murders, but in general inquiries it's not uncommon for groups to operate around a code of silence and we generally work around that.
"Most times we're dealing with repeat offenders who have been through the judicial system and been through prosecutions - they know the system. We just have to work within that."
