Carmen murder police track two men

Carmen Thomas, who is believed to have been murdered. Photo / Facebook

Police investigating the murder of Auckland mother Carmen Thomas are believed to have tracked the movements in Waikato of two men who knew her - at the same time that her car was abandoned in Hamilton.

The two men, who are of interest to the police inquiry, are thought to have driven to Waikato late on July 7 or during the early hours of July 8.

Police are understood to have traced the men's cellphone activity.

They believe Ms Thomas' dark Nissan Pulsar hatchback was abandoned around the same time in Dyer St, Hamilton.

It was discovered on July 13 and police say enough blood was found inside for them to believe the 32-year-old mother was dead.

Detective Inspector Mark Benefield said police had previously said Ms Thomas' car was driven to Hamilton on July 7 or 8 and are still appealing for sightings of it on those dates, and anyone seen with or in it.

Asked if police could rule out more than one person being responsible for Ms Thomas' death he said: "Police have ruled out very few possibilities about the circumstances around the disappearance and death of Carmen Thomas."

The Herald understands police believe her body was disposed of in bush between Auckland and Waikato.

Police have not commented officially on the circumstances of her death, apart from saying they do not know where Ms Thomas is or what happened to her.

"Police believe Carmen has been murdered. We don't know where she is though so we're appealing to anyone who has information that would help us return her to her family," Mr Benefield said.

Police have previously said they do not know how the car came to be in Hamilton but weren't ruling out it having travelled through back roads in the Hunua area to avoid detection.

Meanwhile, a close friend of Ms Thomas, who worked at the same Pakuranga men's club, has spoken for the first time about the disappearance.

She says she was text-messaging Ms Thomas the Sunday before she was last seen.

"I think I fell asleep so I replied back to one of her texts on Monday morning but didn't get a reply," she told the Herald.

She said the pair often spoke of Ms Thomas' former partner Brad Callaghan and other new men in her life.

The escort believed Mr Callaghan, who has joint custody of the couple's 5-year-old son Jack, still had feelings for his ex-partner.

"He did still have a thing for her, cared about her a lot, but they knew things would never be the same again like they were before because it didn't work the first time," she said.

But Ms Thomas got on well with Mr Callaghan's new fiancee, who was seven months pregnant, the escort said.

"They got on quite well and she loved Jack so much. Carmen used to say that any mother would not leave their child with someone they didn't trust.

"She thought Jack was a privileged child for having his real mummy and daddy still talking and his mother expecting a new baby."

CAN YOU HELP?

Call 0800 KEPPEL (0800-537-735), email whereiscarmen@police.govt.nz or call Crime Stoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.