High-Profile Link: Pukehina Property Linked to Former Zespri Chair Following Double Death Mystery
By Lions Roar News Investigative Desk
PUKEHINA, BAY OF PLENTY (January 7, 2026) — New details have emerged in the chilling investigation into the deaths of a man and a woman at a rural Pukehina property. It has been confirmed that the site where the bodies were discovered is owned by a company led by prominent horticulture figure and former Zespri chairman, Bruce Cameron.
The investigation, which began on New Year’s Day, has seen one man charged while the death of a second person remains shrouded in mystery.
📍 Discovery at Old Coach Road
Police were called to the sprawling rural estate on Old Coach Road twice in less than 24 hours during the New Year holiday period.
- First Discovery: At 3:00 PM on January 1st, police were notified of a woman’s death on the property.
- Second Discovery: At 2:10 PM the following day, a man’s body was found in a completely separate house on the same site.
- Property Ownership: Records show the property is owned by Gilston Mains Limited. The company’s directors include Bruce and Gillian Cameron. Bruce Cameron is a well-known industry leader who served as Zespri’s chairman for five years before stepping down in 2023.
⚖️ Court Appearance and Charges
A 50-year-old foreign national appeared in the Tauranga District Court today in connection with the woman’s death.
- The Charge: He is currently charged with assaulting a person in a family relationship. No plea was entered today.
- Suppression: The man has been granted interim name suppression and did not seek bail. He has been remanded in custody.
- Unexplained Death: While the woman’s death is being treated as a homicide investigation, police have classified the man’s death as “unexplained.” No arrests have yet been made specifically in relation to the man’s passing.
🔍 Police Appeal for Information
Detective Senior Sergeant Paul Wilson of the Eastern Bay of Plenty Police stated that further charges or arrests have not been ruled out as the investigation continues.
Can You Help? Police are urgently seeking anyone who was at the property between 7:00 PM on New Year’s Eve and 3:00 AM on Friday, January 2nd.
Mr. Cameron, when approached for comment today, declined to speak on the tragedy occurring on his property.
