One of the men charged over the death of asylum seeker Reza Barati tried to fake his own death to evade capture, Papua New Guinea police will allege.
Joshua Kavulia, 28, was charged on Monday over the February murder of the 23-year-old Iranian man inside an Australian-run asylum seeker detention centre on Manus Island.
Police allege Kavulia led them on a five-month chase from Manus Island to the country's mainland and finally over the sea again to Kimbe, the capital of West New Britain province.
"Police allege Kavulia colluded with his acquaintances in a bid to derail the investigation after several people told police Kavulia had died," police spokesman David Terry said on Thursday.
PNG police in July arrested and charged 28-year-old Louie Efi over Mr Barati's death.
Police kept Efi's arrest quiet until Monday, when they announced they had charged Kavulia.
They are now looking for three more suspects - a PNG man and two expats, whose nationalities have not yet been confirmed by police.
Citing a report by Acting Commissioner of Crimes Donald Yamasombi, Mr Terry said effective intelligence networking led to Kavulia's arrest.
"They told us of his demise, but we knew they lied," he said.
"In the course of this plot, Kavulia fled to Lae, went up the Highlands Highway and then later flew to Kimbe."
Mr Terry made the announcement on social media, but later confirmed details with AAP.
PNG's Highlands Highway is a treacherous, spiralling 700 kilometre road that connects coastal Lae to the Highlands of PNG.
The police team are still in Kimbe, some 550km north of the capital Port Moresby, where Kavulia is expected to be flown to face further questioning.
It is unclear if any of Kavulia's acquaintances will also face charges or if police will pursue charges over the alleged fake death.
Barati was killed during a clash between asylum seekers and guards at the centre in mid-February.
Asylum seekers at the centre told AAP in March he was beaten by a group of men at the base of a staircase near his room.
A report by former senior public servant Robert Cornall found Mr Barati died after being hit from behind with a heavy stick.
He was then kicked by a mob of about 10 people and finally had a rock dropped on his head.
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