Carmen's body removed from bush

Friends lay flowers near the scene in the Waitakere Ranges where missing escort Carmen Thomas's body was discovered in plastic containers. Photo / NZPA

The remains of Carmen Thomas have been removed from a crude grave in dense bush in the Waitakere Ranges.

Sombre police officers removed their hats and flanked the road as her remains were taken from the scene in a hearse this afternoon.

Investigation head Detective Inspector Mark Benefield said a scene examination had confirmed what police believed all along - that the Auckland mother and escort had been dismembered. Her body was found inside several plastic containers, he said.

The site, on a dirt road about 2km from the Arataki Visitors Centre on Scenic Drive, was earlier blessed by local kaumatua.

Four of the dead woman's friends also came to the site, crying as they laid flowers by the side of the road.

Mr Benefield said the scene examination had been conducted with "great sensitivity and care", and the staff involved would receive trauma counselling.

Asked what it had been like to be involved with such an horrific investigation, Mr Benefield replied: "The emotion in this investigation ..." before breaking down in tears and walking away.

A post mortem on Ms Thomas' body is expected to take several days.

Police last night confirmed Herald reports that the body of the 32-year-old South African woman had been disposed of in West Auckland.

The Weekend Herald understands police found one container which held parts of Ms Thomas' body, and expect to find more.

Earlier today, a police car stationed at the top of a small dirt road off Scenic Drive was stopping anyone except police specialists and forensic scientists from entering the site.

Police spokeswoman Noreen Hegarty said Ms Thomas' body had not been removed from the site yet as police were still carrying out the excavation and scene examination.

Media conference

At a hastily called press conference last night, an emotional Detective Inspector Mark Benefield said officers had acted on information received this week and mapped out an area over the past three days.

"Information came in ... that ... gave us good cause to proceed to the Waitakere site."

Mr Benefield said ESR scientists found items "consistent with that information", but refused to use the words "body" or "body parts".

"The information we have been acting on is consistent with what we have found at the site and we are pretty happy with the information we had that it's Carmen," he said.

The scene

The scene is about 2km from the Arataki Visitors Centre on Scenic Drive, down the small Incline Track on the way to Nihotupu Dam road.

A white Auckland Regional Council sign on the track behind closed gates last night said: "Danger. Parks maintenance. Closed".

A security guard at the track said more than a dozen police were at the scene at 10.30pm. Uniformed officers were seen coming and going.

The search site is believed to be a short distance down the track from the closed gates in dense bush.

Last night, Mr Benefield said after a post-mortem examination had been completed police would then begin the process of returning Ms Thomas to her family in South Africa.

Pausing to swallow, and with encouragement from a colleague, he continued: "... to her family ... and loved ones and let them lay her to rest in dignity."

Mr Benefield did not rule out more arrests, but said they were "not imminent".

Murder accused

Last week, Brad Callaghan, 32, a structural engineer, appeared in the Auckland District Court charged with Ms Thomas' murder and was remanded until 12 October.

He is the father of her 5-year-old son, Jack, who has been in the care of a relative since Callaghan's arrest.

An associate of Callaghan, who has helped police with their inquiries, has name suppression.

Mr Benefield refused to comment on that man last night.

Callaghan's fiancee, Tanith Butler, who gave birth to his new son on Monday, has also been interviewed by police.

A boat was seized from the East Auckland home of an associate of Callaghan's, and it is understood another boat is a line of inquiry for detectives.

Last sightings

Police have been seeking Ms Thomas since she was reported missing on July 13.

She was last seen on June 27 at the Greenlane Countdown.

Mr Benefield has said Ms Thomas was killed in her Ngapuhi Rd home on June 29 and dismembered.

Blood was found in her abandoned car in Hamilton.

Last night, friends and family of Ms Thomas were relieved to hear some of her remains had been found.

An account was opened to raise money so Ms Thomas' mother, Teresa Scott, could fly from South Africa when her daughter was found.

Ms Thomas' manager at the East Auckland men's club where she worked as an escort said she was telling Ms Thomas' former colleagues of the discovery.

"It is really good to know, so she can rest in peace. It is still really sad to hear what happened to her."

The case has been discussed on internet social networking sites.

One person wrote on Trade Me's message board last night that their neighbour worked on Scenic Drive in the Waitakere Ranges and had seen "a kazillion cops up there today".

Rachel Thorburn, a close friend of the murdered woman, wrote on the Carmen Thomas Facebook site:

"I am stuck for words. While I want to say I am so pleased you have been found, I wish you did not have to go through this at all. I want to say that the past few months have been hard not knowing where you are.

"To know you will no longer walk this earth is so sad. Carmen you deserved better. Such a beautiful woman with ... so much love to give.

"I am so happy I had a chance to meet you - if only for a short time. May you be at peace and know there are so many of us that have tried hard to find you. Love to you sweetie and one day we will meet again."

In a later message, Ms Thorburn said: "To dear Jack. I am so sorry you have lost your mummy. She loved you so much and you were the shining star in her life.

"You kept her going, you gave her reason, you made her smile and you gave her cuddles she needed.

"She loved you Jack. My heart breaks you are going to miss out on knowing your beautiful mum."

THE SEARCH FOR CARMEN

June 27: Last confirmed sighting of Carmen Thomas, at Greenlane Countdown about 7.10pm. Last day her bank accounts were touched.
June 28: Message sent from her Facebook account at 8.14pm.

July 1: Police have been seeking CCTV images from central Auckland around this date.
July 3: Text sent from Ms Thomas' phone to her boss at a Pakuranga men's club.
July 7 or 8: It is believed her car was driven from Auckland to Hamilton.
July 13: Car towed, and Thomas is reported missing.

Sept 1: Ms Thomas' wheelie bin is found by police.
Sept 20: Police put a camera down a hole at a Manson worksite on Victoria St in central Auckland.
Sept 21: Ms Thomas' ex-partner Brad Callaghan is charged with her murder. Police begin searching Callaghan's home.
Sept 23: Police begin searching an East Auckland property where one of Callaghan's friends lives. They seize a boat, believed to have been used in a failed attempt to dispose of Ms Thomas' body, for forensic testing.
Sept 24-26: Police stop searching Callaghan's Remuera house and the East Auckland home of an associate.
Sept 27: Callaghan's fiancee, Tanith Butler, gives birth to his new son.
Sept 27-28: Police receive information that Ms Thomas is buried at a site in the Waitakere Ranges. ESR scientists map out the area and begin searching.

Oct 1: Concrete containers holding at least some parts of Ms Thomas are excavated and the find is announced at a hastily called press conference.
Today: Police continue searching the site and expect a post-mortem examination will be carried out.

- additional reporting NZPA and Amelia Wade