‘Priority is Breanna’: Investigation remains open
It has been 574 days since Breanna Muriwai was spotted on camera at a Palmerston North bottle store.
The young Kāpiti woman was buying alcohol at the liquor shop on College St with a male acquaintance on August 27, 2022 before she disappeared.
On September 1, police made an appeal to the public for information on the 22-yearold’s whereabouts and revealed they had concerns for her safety.
Over the following weeks and months, and despite extensive efforts and searches by her friends, family and police, Muriwai was nowhere to be found.
This week Detective Senior Sergeant Craig Sheridan said the investigation was very much an open case and the priority was to find Muriwai.
Her family had been vocal about what they thought happened to the nursing student, believing she was the victim of foul play.
They had also identified several people they believed were involved in her disappearance.
Sheridan said there had been tension between police and Muriwai’s whanāu, and people had been critical of the investigation.
There had been scepticism police had done enough to find her, or bring those responsible for her disappearance to account.
But he rejected that and said there had been a large team of investigators dedicated
Detective Senior Sergeant Craig Sheridan to finding Muriwai.
That team had now disbanded, but they were still committed to solving the case.
“We have committed a significant amount of resources ... now we’re at a stage it’s about reacting to new information. “It’s very much an open case.” Police understood the family’s distress but were also concerned at the allegations being shared publicly.
“I absolutely get the view.”
He said although it was not a homicide investigation they had applied the same resources and principles as though it was.
“We’ve done our absolute best and we will continue to do so. Finding Breanna is our main priority.”
In an interview with Police Ten 7 after family’s point of the disappearance, Detective Richard Morse said they had “grave” concerns for Muriwai’s wellbeing.
Information provided to police by the men she was last with suggested she asked to go home the evening after leaving the bottle store.
They believed she returned to the male’s family home in the afternoon before things took a turn, and she was “insistent” on
“We have committed a significant amount of resources ... now we’re at a stage it’s about reacting to new information ... It’s very much an open case.”
returning to Paraparaumu.
The male told police he took her, but not before collecting a friend.
They travelled in a silver Peugeot to Kimberley Reserve, south of Levin, before stopping in Ōtaki where the male used Muriwai’s ATM card to take out $250.
They arrived there about 1am that Sunday morning and after making arrangements met another man in Te Horo 20 minutes later.
That meeting at Hyde Park was where things became “unclear”.
Morse said the men reported going to Sea Rd and parking up by the beach before Muriwai became upset and ran off.
One claimed to have searched for her, but said he was unable to find her.
The males left the beach around 4am. That evening the male swapped cars and began driving a green Honda Civic saloon with black mag wheels.
Police wanted sightings of that vehicle near Peka Peka, MaryCrest School near Te Horo and Shannon.
A purple suitcase and black handbag found on the beach that day were also reported to police, but by the time they got there the suitcase was gone.
Police wanted to hear from anyone who saw what was inside.
They were also keen for any sightings of the silver car between Wellington and Palmerston North two days prior on August 26, and again in the early hours of August 28.
Morse said it was unlikely Muriwai would return home and her disappearance had devastated her family.
At the time, Muriwai’s mother Jazmin Gray said she knew something had happened to her daughter.
Through tears she described her as kind, funny and loving, and someone who was “striving to do better in life”.
She was determined to find her and had been looking ever since.
Gray had initiated several searches across the region with help from family, friends and members of the public and regularly hosted Facebook live forums to keep her many followers updated.
Anyone with information about Breanna Muriwai should phone police on 105 using file number 220829/5320.
You can also provide information anonymously by visiting www.police.govt.nz/ use-105 or phone Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.