By 3 News online staff
Paeroa police today revealed that murdered pizza shop owner Jordan Voudouris died from a gunshot wound.
A media briefing was held in Paeroa this morning, including a tour of the area behind Mr Voudouris's shop where the 55-year-old was found dead last month.
Police would not reveal the type of gun used in the murder, or number of shots fired, but say Mr Voudouris was not killed instantly.
They say the store owner managed to drag himself 15-20m along a driveway before collapsing – where he was later found dead.
“It's possible he was coming for help, it's possible he was chasing his attacker, its possible he was running from his attacker,” says Detective Senior Sergeant Mike Whitehead.
“It's brought it all back again even stronger than before - I think everyone is shattered to think that someone would intentionally shoot him, it's sad,” says friend Viv Leonard.
Police say a neighbour recalled hearing a shot while another heard raised voices on the morning of the murder.
Police say the murder likely happened between 1:30am and 4:30am on Monday, June 18.
No arrests have been made in connection with the murder, but police have not ruled out a link to two armed robberies in nearby Waihi and Katikati the same day.
A 17-year-old and a 19-year-old were arrested in connection with the two robberies.
At this stage police are calling the murder a genuine whodunit - almost a month has passed and they have no weapon, no motive and no suspects.
But they still believe the key lies in Paeroa.
“We're talking about a small community here and there's a distinct possibility that someone in this community has information that will solve this for us,” says Mr Whitehead.
But the mayor disagrees, saying the town is too small and word would have got out.
“How could it be a local?” says Hauraki District Mayor John Tregidga.
“This is a small community if it was a local we would have heard of it by now. I'm sure there would've been an arrest, so I think it would've been someone passing through, someone from out of town.”
Mr Voudouris was well loved in the community, more than 1,000 people turned out for his memorial and the town wants to know who did it, as badly as the police.
3 News