Family stunned after body found in garage identified

Javed Mills. Photo / Supplied

The mother of a man whose remains were identified more than eight months after they were found at an abandoned Auckland property has spoken for the first time about his life and her heartbreak over his death.

Javed Frazer Mills, 25, is believed to have died in 2009 after an "altercation''. Part of his remains were found in a garage at a Barrack Rd, Mt Wellington property by contractors doing demolition work.

After a major police effort it was confirmed last week that the remains were Mr Mills.

His family had last seen him in 2009. He had asked them for some space as he worked out his place in the world and chased his dream of becoming a rock musician.

Then last week, and entirely out of the blue they got the devastating news that he was dead.

His mother Lichelle Mills said she was "numb'' when police told her. The family had believed Mr Mills was in Wellington and were in denial that the remains were his.

Once the fact was confirmed that turned to grief and anger. A man Mr Mills lived with for a time has been charged with interfering with his remains. It's likely he will face further charges.

"He was a really happy kid,'' Mrs Mills said.

"He made a lot of lovely friends and had a lot of passions. He was really likeable, he was a loveable boy.''

He taught himself to play the guitar and spent many hours honing his talent.''

"He was pretty much inseparable from his guitar. He was always playing it,'' his brother Tarek Rahman said.