Police today arrested a 26-year-old Oamaru woman as an accessory after the fact in relation to assistance given to those now charged with murder.
A 17-year-old Oamaru man was arrested on the same charge.
Both will appear in the Dunedin District Court today.
Justin Conrad McFarlane (35), of Elderslie, was found dead in his Pine Hill Rd home at 4.30am on last Wednesday, when a fellow farm worker called at the address to see why Mr McFarlane had not turned up for work.
He had been killed in what police described as a ''violent attack''.
Four people have been charged with Mr McFarlane's murder.
A 22 year-old man, who has interim name suppression, was dealt with by registrar's adjournment in the Dunedin District Court yesterday, charged jointly with Steven Kenneth Boskell (18), of Palmerston; Ryan Warren Geary-Smart (23), forest worker, of Oamaru; and a 22-year-old Oamaru farm hand, who also has interim name suppression, with murdering Justin Conrad McFarlane.
Police said today searchers had found several 'items of interest' along a 500m-600m stretch of the Maheno-Kakanui Rd.
The search was conducted by specialist police search staff from Christchurch and community volunteers from the North Otago Search and Rescue Club, the North Otago Tramping Club and the local fishing club.
"Their assistance is hugely appreciated and they've been fantastic in giving up their time to help Police in their search for items of interest," says Detective Senior Sergeant John Ferguson.
The search is expected to be completed today.
The scene examination at Mr McFarlane's house was completed last night.
