THE New Zealand police have sought the assistance of high profiled criminal profilers to hunt down the killer of Fiji born Shalvin Prasad.
This was confirmed by Counties Manukau Police Station communications manager Ana-Mari Gates-Bowey in an interview yesterday.
21-year-old Shalvin originally from Suva was found burnt alive on McRobbie Rd in Kingseat south of Auckland on January 31 several hours after he withdrew tens of thousands of dollars from his bank account.
Shalvin who was doused with petrol and set alight — left Fiji with his family in 1999 when he was eight years old.
Ms Gates-Bowey said the criminal profilers were targeting high-profile criminals who could have been involved in the incident.
"We have also brought in criminal expatriates and investigators from other countries to look into the matter," she revealed.
Ms Gates-Bowey said the reason for involving criminal profilers and expatriates was because of the seriousness of the case.
"Shalvin's body was set on fire and it is something unusual for someone in New Zealand to be burnt alive," he said.
Ms Gates-Bowey said the expatriate investigators were working on analysing facts as to how long Shalvin was set on fire and how long it would have taken him to die.
She said Shalvin was not a victim of blackmail or fraud and there was no suggestion he was involved in an illegal activity.
While police are not releasing any information on their investigations, Ms Gates-Bowey said they were making progress.
"We cannot say anything on what we are doing and the leads we are following but we are making progress," she said.
Shalvin's brother, Pravin Prasad said his family in Fiji, Australia and the US were trainwrecks following his death.
Mr Prasad said: "Shalvin was bubbly, he loved to laugh and was always cheerful," he said.