Police are treating a Mt Roskill house fire as suspicious after it was destroyed in a large blaze in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
It's on the same street that 21-year-old Rima Sikei was allegedly murdered over a week ago.
His life came to a violent end on a Mt Roskill street eight days ago, where he died from stab wounds outside a party.
Today his family and friends gathered to say a final farewell to the guy his brother, Semisi Sikei, said was cheeky and lovable.
"He always had a smile on him... always thought of other people".
The builder and promising rugby player was farewelled by a crowd of friends and family wearing t-shirts with Mr Sikei's face.
"I didn't realise how much support my brother had in the community," his brother said. "I reckon he'd be happy. He'd be proud."
On Wednesday morning, the same street was the scene of a suspicious fire. There was no one home when a house went up in flames around 5am.
The identity of the 32-year-old man charged with Mr Sikei's murder has been suppressed.
He's also been charged with attempted murder of a second person who suffered a stab wound in the same incident, and will appear in the Auckland High Court in the new year.
Rima's family is waiting for justice. Handwritten messages and tributes decorating the road outside their family home are a painful reminder that there will be one less person at Christmas this year.
Newshub.
