A 60-year-old Christchurch man faces a manslaughter charge following the death of 21-year-old father Braydon Hepworth, whose body was discovered buried beneath a shed at a Hereford Street property on October 8. The accused appeared via audio-visual link in the Christchurch District Court on Thursday without entering a plea and has been granted interim name suppression.
Did You Know? Braydon Hepworth was last confirmed alive on September 3 at a Z Energy service station in Linwood, where security footage showed him wearing headphones and a Monster Energy-branded beanie.
Case moves to High Court with man remanded
The case has been moved to the High Court due to the new manslaughter charge. The 60-year-old man was remanded in custody until his next court date in November.
This individual was arrested on October 10 and initially faced charges of making a false statement and concealing a body. A second man, aged 34, was charged last week in relation to the concealment of Hepworth’s body.
Investigation into the Hereford Street discovery
Police discovered Hepworth’s body while executing a search warrant at the rear of a residential property on Hereford Street. Detective Inspector Scott Anderson of Christchurch Metro Crime described the discovery as heartbreaking, noting there is small comfort in bringing him home.
A postmortem examination was conducted on October 9.
Police previously stated they were continuing to investigate the cause of death. An autopsy was carried out, but results were understood to be inconclusive, and authorities awaited more tests to determine the circumstances. A source described the probe as a “slow burn” and complex, noting there were “still more questions than answers”.
Next steps for the legal and mission reviews
The accused man is expected to appear in court again in November. Police continue to investigate the disappearance, though Detective Inspector Anderson stated they cannot comment further while the matter is before the courts.
#BREAKING: Manslaughter charge laid over death of Christchurch father Braydon Hepworth. https://t.co/lPZMoBFiL0
Police Search Efforts
The disappearance of Hepworth, who had diabetes and required daily medication, led to a wide police search. This included searching properties in Edgeware and Linwood.
Who was charged and where Hepworth was found?
Who else was charged in connection with Braydon Hepworth’s death?
In addition to the 60-year-old man charged with manslaughter, police charged a 34-year-old Christchurch man last week regarding the concealment of Hepworth’s body.
Where was Braydon Hepworth’s body found?
His body was discovered on October 8 buried beneath a shed at the rear of a residential property located on Hereford Street in central Christchurch.
Family Tributes
The grandfather of Hepworth’s 9-month-old daughter shared a message on social media, saying Hepworth “became a symbol of strength, love, courage, and support” within the family.
He wrote that Hepworth “became someone we loved deeply”.