A woman who was critically injured in an assault in Rotorua two weeks ago has died.

The woman and her husband had been in hospital since being attacked at their home on Russell Crescent in Western Heights on September 23.

Police said the woman died last night.

On the same day the retired couple were attacked, a woman’s dead body was found at an address on Old Taupō Road in Utuhina, around 5km away.

Police at the Russell Crescent address in Rotorua where a retired couple were critically injured in an assault on September 23. One of the victims, a woman, died last night in hospital. Photo / Ben Fraser

Police said the two incidents were linked.

A 52 year-old man who has been arrested and charged with murder in the Utuhina attack is now facing a second murder charge. All three victims were known to the man.

Police said the man, who has interim name suppression, was in custody and was scheduled to reappear in the Rotorua High Court on October 18.

‘A horrible thing’

A Russell Cres resident previously told the Rotorua Daily Post the retired couple assaulted in their home were in their 70s and belonged to a church.

The resident had given police his CCTV footage from his driveway.

“I wouldn’t wish that on anyone. I’ve asked the cops what’s happened, but it’s all hush-hush.”

Another neighbour, who didn’t want to be named, said it was a “horrible horrible thing”.

“Getting my mind around it is hard ... I feel so bad, they are a lovely couple and the fact they got hurt in this way is so hard to take.”

Neighbours spoken to by the Rotorua Daily Post were in shock at what had happened.

The elderly man and woman knew the husband and wife well and had been their neighbours for three years. They described them as a retired professional couple who had previously been business owners.

The elderly man said at the time the couple were on life support and family were travelling from Australia.

The elderly woman described them as a “beautiful, caring couple”.

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