The family of the elderly couple believed to be killed by an aggressive ram on their rural west Auckland property earlier this week are in shock after their sudden deaths.
They were named by police on Friday as Helge Hansen, 82 and his wife Gaye Hansen, 81. Their bodies were discovered by Gaye's son at the Anzac Valley Rd property in Waitākere, after he couldn't get a hold of his mum or stepdad on the phone.
Gaye's nephew, Dean Burrell, told Stuff Gaye's son went to the rented farm property on Thursday morning.
There, the son found Gaye and Helge lying dead in a paddock, along with the suspected killer ram, Burrell said.
"He himself was attacked by this ram from behind," Burrell told Stuff. "He managed to get it into a headlock and closed the gate and went back to his mum."
But it broke through a fence and attacked his brother too. He then called the police for help at about 7:30am.
Police said on Friday the animal also "confronted" officers on arrival, who then shot it dead.
Autopsy results indicated that the couple's injuries were "consistent with an animal attack", police said.
Their deaths have been referred to the coroner.
