A man charged with the murder of Harley Shrimpton is due to appear again in court in April on multiple charges.

“He has been remanded in custody due to reappear in the Tauranga District Court Wednesday 10 April, 2024 on charges including murder, kidnapping, unlawfully taking a motor vehicle, and aggravated robbery,” says a police spokesperson.

On January 18, Western Bay of Plenty Police arrested and charged a 22-year-old man with the murder of Harley Shrimpton.

“A further charge of aggravated robbery was also laid against this man and he is currently facing charges of kidnapping in relation to Shrimpton,” says Bay of Plenty Field Crime Manager Detective Inspector Lindsay Pilbrow.

The man, who was remanded in custody, appeared in Tauranga High Court on February 7, and is understood to have pleaded not guilty to the charges.

At the time of his arrest Police said they were not ruling out laying further charges against people who assisted the murder-accused during and after the incident.

“We remain committed to holding to account all those who played a part in the death of Harley Shrimpton and we are confident that the investigation is now beginning to hone in on the others involved,” says Detective Inspector Pilbrow.

Police at a property on Poripori Road. Harley's body was later found at the Poripori Road area. Photo: Rosalie Liddle Crawford.

“The investigation continues to focus on Harley’s movements after he was taken from a motor vehicle in Mount Maunganui on the afternoon of 3 November 2023 and subsequently into the Poripori Road area where his body was later found.

“Our investigation team continue to follow strong lines of enquiry and it’s important that anyone with information comes forward to Police.”

Information can be passed to Police via our 105 phone service, or by going online to https://www.police.govt.nz/use-105 and using 'Update Report', referencing file number 231117/9085.

Alternatively, information can be provided anonymously to Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111 www.crimestoppers-nz.org

Triple loss for Shrimpton family

The Shrimpton family have not only lost their brother Harley, but also their father Anthony Poihakena Jackson, and their mother Tina Shrimpton, all in the space of 13 months.

Tina, mother of three and grandmother of five, died on January 14, 2024 after a “long battle with health issues”, nearly a month following Police finding Harley's body in December, 2023. Her husband Anthony died on January 7, 2023.

"These past 13 months have been the worst months of these children’s lives and as you can imagine the toll it has taken on the children left behind is horrific," says a family member.

"The financial weight of these three funerals has put Tina’s daughter in huge financial debt. We are fundraising to take as much of that financial burden off her while she still has her own family to care for on top of grieving."

Tina Shrimpton passed away after a long battle with health issues leaving behind her three children and five grandchildren. Photo: Supplied.

A Givealittle page has been set up by Tina's neice to help alleviate the financial stress.