Photo: RNZ / Nick Monro
Neighbours of the man who was found dead at his home in Ellerslie say they are frightened by the incident.
The body of 66-year-old Fuk-Fu Joseph Kwok was found by a relative at his Ellerslie home on Monday. Police have since launched a homicide inquiry.
Police believe his wife who remains missing, Mei Han Chong, may also be the victim of foul play.
They have grave concerns for her safety.
Neighbours of the couple remain shaken by the death.
"Just a bit frightened, it's a scary thing happening so close, you hear about this stuff in the news all the time, but when you're in the area and you see it, it's a bit more real," one said.
"Really really unfortunate, it's really sad that it's happened," another said.
A cafe worker near the scene of a homicide in Auckland said the community was shaken up.
Ellerslie resident Tenneille said she was shocked when police told her.
"It was pretty scary. We actually had a few police officers come in here and ask us a bunch of questions and stuff.
"Yeah, I think everyone's a bit shaken up. It's really close to home and stuff like that doesn't really happen close to home, you know?
"I hope everybody else in the neighbourhood is feeling okay about it as it's quite scary."
Kwok was an orthopaedic theatre nurse who worked at North Shore Hospital.
A former colleague said he was hard working and highly regarded.
She said Kwok had worked at the hospital more than 10 years and the family had moved to New Zealand from Hong Kong.
Photo: RNZ / Nick Monro
Speaking to media today, Detective Inspector Scott Beard, from Auckland City CIB, said police know Kwok left work at 11pm on Saturday night and drove home.
"A local resident said he was woken by the sound of a man and a woman arguing in English, about 1.30 in the morning, he then heard three loud bangs followed by silence"
Information from the public was vital to making progress in the inquiry, he said.
Police have grave concerns for missing woman Mei Han Chong. Photo: Supplied / Police
"Someone out there must know something or have seen something and it may seem trivial to them but it could very well be important to the police investigation.
"We don't know the motive and that's one of the aspects of the investigation we're looking at, but as I say someone out there may be able to help us and that's what we need."
Police were appealing for sightings of Chong and the family car - a blue Kia Rio with the registration NJN927.
Chong is 67 years old, about 5 feet tall, has grey hair and glasses. She does not drive and police believe she did not leave the house on her own accord.
A scene examination at the house continues.
Photo: RNZ / Nick Monro