Watch - Police believe the missing wife of a man found dead in his Ellerslie home may also be the victim of foul play.
Sixty-six-year-old Fuk-Fu Joseph Kwok, was named today.
Police were called to his house at Celtic Crescent on Monday evening after his body was found by a relative.
They have been seeking his 67-year-old wife Mei Han Chong.
Detective Inspector Beard, from Auckland City CIB, said inquiries to date also suggest that the wife may also be the victim of foul play.
They have grave concerns for her safety and welfare. Their son says it's totally out of character for her not to contact them, Beard said.
"We still need the public assistance in trying to locate where Mei is and where that blue Kia motor vehicle is."
The vehicle's registration number is NJN927, although the plates may have been changed, he said.
The couple's son is grieving and struggling with the fact his father has been killed and that his mother cannot be found, he said.
"This family needs our help. A man is dead and a woman is missing and we need answers.
"We know there is someone out there who will know where she is and now is the time to come forward."
Mei Han Chong was last seen at home on the weekend. She is of Asian descent, 5 foot tall (1.5 metres) and 48kg, and has grey hair and wears glasses.
Beard said information from the public is vital to making progress in the inquiry.
"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."
Kwok was killed in a violent manner and some of his injuries would suggest more than one person was involved.
"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."
He added: "We know that Mr Kwok left work at 11pm on Saturday night and drove home, it takes about half an hour and from there the vehicle is missing."
Answering journalists' questions, Beard said the circumstances and some of the property found in the house would suggest Chong did not leave of her own accord.
The indication was that she did not drive, so that would suggest someone has taken that car.
"We're piecing things together, we're dealing with the family and they've got support."
It was very early in the inquiry, with the scene investigation not yet completed and the post mortem only completed on Wednesday, he said.
"This is a jigsaw puzzle and there's a lot of pieces here and just trying to find the pieces to put in so we can see the picture."
Police have not found a murder weapon, he said, and don't yet know if it was a targeted attack.
There were no other properties of interest at this time, he said.
They are assessing information from the neighbours, but there is nothing that has been particularly helpful at this stage, he said.
The family had lived in the property for up to 12 years.
Detective Inspector Scott Beard at the scene of the police inquiry. Photo: RNZ / Nick Monro