Police have charged a 52-year-old Rotorua man with murder, after a woman was found dead at an Old Taupo Rd house yesterday.

The man is scheduled to appear in Rotorua District Court today.

Police were called to the Old Taupo Rd house about 2.35pm on Monday to conduct a welfare check on a woman. Upon arrival, they found the woman dead.

Emergency services had earlier been called to a Western Heights property about 5am yesterday after a report that two people were being seriously assaulted.

Police say the assault at Russell Cres is connected to the homicide investigation and the two people remain in a critical condition in hospital.

A woman, who did not want to be named, said her nan lived in one of the Old Taupo Rd flats and the woman who was found dead lived in the middle flat.

She said her nan had been neighbours with the dead woman for about two years and knew her well.

”She said she was a lovely lady and she would have conversations with her.”

The victim was believed to have lived at the flat alone with a cat.

She said her nan was in shock about what happened, especially given she hadn’t heard anything at the time.

The woman said she and another family member stayed with her nan last night to reassure her.

Another neighbour, who also didn’t want to be named who lived in a nearby flat, said she knew of the woman from seeing her neighbours while hanging out washing but didn’t know her personally.

She said many women lived alone in the flats nearby and to hear someone had died was “very scary”.

”We have lived here since 2003 and there’s never any burglaries or robberies. We are originally from India but we have been here 23 years and it is one of the safest countries in the world.”

Police investigate a Russell Cres address in Rotorua where two people suffered critical injuries in an assault believed to be connected to a woman's death at a separate address. Photo / Ben Fraser.

Scene examinations are also under way at the Western Heights address where two people suffered critical injuries in an assault.

“We are currently not seeking anyone else in relation to this matter,” police said.

Anyone with information about either incident that may assist inquiries is asked to contact police via the 105 phone service or online referencing the file number 240923/0552.

Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

-Bay of Plenty Times.