A MURDER inquiry has opened after a 60-year-old man was found dead in a flat.
The man, named locally as John Greer, was discovered at a flat on Arncliffe Crescent, Rastrick, by ambulance crews at 10.15am on Saturday.
It is believed Mr Greer, known to friends as ‘Brusher’, died from knife wounds.
Police confirmed they were treating his death as murder.
Four people – a 57-year-old woman, a 37-year-old man, an 18-year-old man and an 18-year-old woman – were arrested yesterday on suspicion of murder.
Today a 57-year-old woman was released without charge and police were given a 36-hour extension to question a 37-year-old man and a man and woman both aged 18.
They were yesterday being held for questioning at police stations throughout West Yorkshire.
The flat and an adjacent park was sealed off on Saturday while forensics experts investigated the property and police combed the surrounding area.
Mr Greer, who is thought to have lived alone on Arncliffe Crescent, had been battling lung cancer, a friend said.
The dead man is believed to have worked as a gritter for Calderdale Council before he became ill.
It is thought Mr Greer had been married before and had several children.
Neil Richer, of Arncliffe Crescent, described Mr Greer as "friendly guy" who "kept himself to himself".
Mr Richer, 44, said: "I’ve known him for about 10 years. He was poorly with lung cancer. I think he was retired.
"He was friendly guy. I used to pop up and see him. It was a couple of months since I last saw him.
"He’d pop round here on his way home.
"I didn’t think he’d hurt a fly. Since he moved here I got to know him. I’d go down to the pub with him.
"He was skinny. He lost a lot of weight since he fell ill. For months he hasn’t been well.
"He was a decent guy. He wasn’t the sort to court trouble.
"I can’t believe it. All I know is they found him dead. I’m just in a state of shock at the moment."
