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Richard Leman wasfound dead on April 17.
A man has been arrested in relation to the murder of Richard Leman.
Leman’s body was found in a car parked at an abandoned house in North Canterbury on April 17.
Police have arrested and charged a 46-year-old man on Saturday morning, Acting Detective Senior Sergeant Daniel Overend said.
Officers, including members of the Armed Offenders Squad, executed a warrant at an Oxford Road, Rangiora address, Overend said.
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The man has been charged with murder and is due to appear in the Christchurch District Court on Monday, June 5.
Police launched a homicide investigation after Leman’s body was found in his white Nissan Fuga in the garage of a derelict property on the corner of Tyler and Durham streets.
Stuff
Police raided a property in North Canterbury, just a few blocks away from where Leman’s body was discovered in a car.
The 41-year-old father of three was last seen on the evening of April 11 outside the Lilybrook shops in the town, after which his friends and family posted online, worried about his safety and mental health.
Leman’s family believes he was murdered by unknown assailants. In an emotional post on Facebook, Richard’s sister Nicky Leman said her “much loved” brother would not be coming home as they had hoped and prayed for.
JOHN KIRK-ANDERSON/STUFF
Police asked a neighbour for a crowbar and hammer to get access to a car at a derelict Rangiora property. A body was found in the vehicle.
Police spent several days investigating the abandoned house where Leman’s body was found.
Several days later, armed police searched a house on Andrew St – 350m away.
The house is owned by a friend of Leman’s. She told Stuff Leman visited on multiple occasions and was looking to move into one of the rooms.
On the night of his disappearance, Leman took takeaways to the Andrew St house. She emphatically denies any involvement in his disappearance.
Police still urged anyone with specific information relating to Leman’s murder to call 105 and quote file 230415/8026.
Police said they could not comment further now the matter was before the courts.
