The murder of David John Robinson - 28 December, 1998 - Ross, South Island, New Zealand
Author: A.B.
On 28 December 1998, the decomposed body of a young man was found on a remote beach out of Hokitika, near Ross, a small town on New Zealand’s West Coast. A few days later, fingerprint analysis identified him as David John Robinson, a 25-year-old New Zealander who grew up in the North Island of New Zealand. He had been killed about ten days earlier by a single .22 calibre gunshot to the forehead, likely from a rifle, in what police called an “execution-style” killing.
The autopsy found that, in addition to the gunshot wound, David had a severe fracture on the left side of his skull. Experts could not determine if the fracture happened before or after death, but its cause is unknown and suggests he may have been attacked before being shot, leading police to consider a violent incident occurred shortly before his murder.
David John Robinson grew up as a cheerful, outgoing boy in a loving family, but struggled with behavioral issues and had trouble fitting in. As a teenager, he became increasingly withdrawn. Eventually, he left home and lost contact with his parents about seven years before his death, as he drifted to the West Coast of the South Island. David always loved the outdoors, preferred solitude, and was living a transient, hand-to-mouth life. Without any benefits, he sometimes resorted to petty crimes, to survive. His parents remember him as a friendly, adventurous young man whom they love deeply.
Reopening the Case
In 2025, police reopened the investigation into the murder of David John Robinson. A new team of cold case detectives was assigned to look into the case. Their work has already uncovered important new information and changed the direction of the investigation.
One key discovery was about the sea currents in the area. It turns out the current flows south to north, not north to south as previously thought. This means David was probably killed further south, near Bold Head and the Kakapotahi settlement, and his body drifted north to where it was found near Ross. Because the rivers were running high at the time, police think it's possible his body was dumped in the Kakapotahi River and carried out to sea.
Forensic experts also looked at insect activity on David’s body and combined this with witness reports of a gunshot near the Kakapotahi River. This helped them narrow down the time of death to between December 14 and 18, 1998.
These new findings have given police a clearer timeline, a better idea of where the crime happened, and new leads on possible witnesses and suspects.
A Letter
Some years after the original investigation, someone sent a letter to the Police Commissioner with details about David’s murder. The letter named a person of interest, a location, and a vehicle. Police hope to identify the author through forensic tests, but so far, the writer’s identity remains unknown.
Possible Motives
In the days before his death, David was reportedly at a gathering in the Nelson Quay area of Greymouth. There, he was assaulted by two trainee chefs who were in town for a chef’s course. Learning more about this incident is important, as it may have led to tensions or conflicts that played a role in David’s murder, or could explain the skull fracture found during his autopsy.
Another possible motive is that David may have stolen from the wrong person or trespassed on a cannabis-growing plot. Police believe those involved in these activities would defend their operation at all costs and might have been involved in his death.
Suspects
Several suspects and persons of interest, many with backgrounds in cannabis growing, have been considered capable of violence. However, police have never found solid evidence directly linking any of them to David’s murder, and no one has been charged.
Still Unsolved
David’s murder remains unsolved, but police hope that new information—such as details about the beating or the murder weapon—will lead to a breakthrough and finally bring answers and justice for David and his family.
Do you have any information?
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