The 48-year-old man was being interviewed by police on Tuesday afternoon and was subsequently charged with murder. He will face Wagga Local Court on Wednesday morning.

Police swarmed on Springvale Drive in Springvale shortly after midday on Tuesday after receiving calls an 83-year-old man at a home in the street had been injured, but when they arrived a short time later he was dead.

The grisly find sparked a major manhunt in the neighbourhood, with police cordoning off Springvale Drive as they searched for a 48-year-old man in connection with the elderly retiree's death.

Police said the deceased man was struck in the back of the head by a weapon, described as an "item used for everyday use".

The fatal attack on the elderly man took place in the backyard of his home, with other family members, including his wife present.

Wagga police crime manager Detective Inspector Darren Cloake said family members present were "obviously distraught" and counselling services had been offered.

"Obviously emotions are very high at the moment, it's very upsetting," he said on Tuesday afternoon.

The two men were understood to be known to each other.

Police sent out a description of the man wanted in connection with the death and launched Strike Force Cliffbrooke after initial searches of the area failed to find him.

He was located about 2.45pm at Cootamundra Railway Station, onboard the XPT en route to Sydney, by police and was subsequently arrested without incident.

One long-time Springvale resident, who asked not to be named, told the Advertiser on Tuesday afternoon they’d never seen an incident like it in the suburb.

“Touch wood, we hardly ever have robberies or anything here,” the resident said.

“The worst thing we’ve had was a ladder stolen so we just feel it’s a very safe suburb.”

The resident said they had made sure their cars and doors were locked in the wake of the death, but it didn’t make them feel unsafe in their homes.

Detective Inspector Cloake said the incident had come as a surprise in the normally quiet neighbourhood.

"You've only just got to look around to see it's a bit of an affluent-type area," he said.

"These type of unfortunate things do not discriminate at times."