Man in custody over Kiwi man's killing

Argentinian police have detained a man in connection with the murder of New Zealand tourist Nicholas Heyward.

The man is being treated as a suspect, says Mendoza police chief Juan Carlos Caleri.

"There were raids today and we have detained one person in connection to the crime," he told the Buenos Aires Herald.

He would not release more details.

The shooting has shocked the local Mendoza population, and police say the killing is out of character for the city.

Mr Heyward was killed during a botched robbery while he strolled through a park in the city of Mendoza on Monday, local time.

Two motorcycle-riding robbers, known as "motochorros", tried to snatch his backpack and shot him when he fought back.

Mr Heyward was shot up to four times between his chest and neck with a .22 pistol, police say.

He had been travelling after finishing a degree in physiotherapy at the University of Queensland and been in Central America for about a year.

He was planning to return in a few months to Australia, where he has family in Adelaide and on the Gold Coast.

Arrangements are being made for his body to be returned and one family member is expected to travel to Mendoza in the next few days.

Argentina's Ministry of Security has taken the rare step of offering 40,000 pesos ($NZ5850) to help find the offenders.