Body find in homicide probe
Waitakere cordon the focus in search for British tourist Grace Millane
Abody believed to be missing British tourist Grace Millane was found by police in the Waitakere Ranges west of Auckland yesterday. A section of Scenic Drive, where she is believed to have been found, had been under police guard since yesterday morning.
Police said earlier yesterday it was an area of interest in the search for 22-year-old backpacker, who was last seen on December 1.
It is believed the body was found in bush about 10 metres off Scenic Drive.
Detective Inspector Scott Beard said it was an unbearable time for her family and his heart went out to them. He’s pleased to be able to give Grace back to her family.
Beard said the body would be formally identified today. It was believed to have been taken to the bush in a rental car that was later found in Taupo, he said.
He said any parent in this situation would struggle.
Millane was last seen on CCTV on Saturday, December 1 entering CityLife Hotel with a 26-year-old man. The establishment has entrances on both Queen and Durham Sts.
The man is now in police custody and due to appear in court today charged with murder.
Police said yesterday they were determined to return Millane to her family, who had earlier spread word across the world of the talented artist and university graduate’s disappearance when her daily social media contact stopped the night before her 22nd birthday last Sunday.
Millane’s father David, a millionaire property developer, flew to New Zealand early on Friday.
He told journalists his much-loved daughter arrived in New Zealand on November 20 as part of a year-long, worldwide overseas experience that began earlier this year in South America. Fighting back tears, he spoke to media about the “lovely, outgoing, fun-loving, familyorientated daughter” who had been so looking forward to going to NZ and had “bombarded us with numerous photographs and messages of her adventures” since arriving.
A week-long search for the 22-year-old backpacker from Essex took a tragic turn on Friday when Auckland police said during a press conference they believed she had been murdered.
It was just a few hours earlier that investigators had taken the 26-yearold man into custody.
Millane’s brother Declan thanked New Zealanders for their thoughts and prayers.
Police had also released photos of a necklace and pink Casio Baby-G watch Millane was thought to be wearing when she disappeared, and said her passport was also missing. Her other belongings had remained last week at Base Backpackers, where she had booked to stay until yesterday. Christchurch Police have launched a homicide investigation after a man was admitted to hospital and died of his injuries late on Saturday night. Detective Senior Sergeant Sarah Illingworth said yesterday afternoon police would continue to make inquiries to the death of the 25-yearold. The victim was dropped at the hospital in a vehicle and admitted about 11pm but died of his injuries, she said. Police were searching a number of addresses in relation to the incident yesterday, she said. Illingworth asked anyone with information about the death to come forward and help by contacting Christchurch Police on (03) 363 7400 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. A major fire overnight Saturday in the Waikato Hospital laundry is being treated as suspicious as Waikato District Health Board asks wards to conserve laundry. It took firefighters from seven Hamilton fire trucks to bring the 3am fire at the laundry and services building an hour-and-a-half to extinguish, said Daniel Nicholson, Northern Communications Centre shift manager. Three fire safety investigators were at the scene yesterday morning trying to establish the cause but Nicholson said early reports indicated the fire was suspicious. No one was in the building at the time of the fire and there were no injuries but Nicholson said the rear of the building on Hague Rd at the edge of the campus was damaged. Police and St John were also notified of the fire.