Fears mount for Kiwi missing for a week in US

The family of a New Zealand man missing in the United States are fearing the worst as a week has gone by without any clues to his disappearance.

Father-of-two Peter O'Brien, 44, has been missing from his home in Boise, Idaho, since last Thursday, when his ex-wife Suzanne Oppenheimer last saw him.

Ms Oppenheimer said she expected Mr O'Brien to pick up his 5 and 6-year-old sons on Saturday and went round to his place when he did not show up.

When she arrived at his apartment, she found the door unlocked and his wallet, car keys and cellphone inside. His car was parked in the drive.

Ms Oppenheimer said yesterday that both ground and aerial search teams had turned up nothing in a wilderness area close to Mr O'Brien's home.

Police don't believe Mr O'Brien has left the country as his passport has not been used.

Detectives are now checking bank records and security footage at nearby airports in order to establish if he may have travelled within the United States.

Ms Oppenheimer said she had no particular fears about Mr O'Brien's mental state before he disappeared but that their relationship was strained.

"I'm just worried something bad has happened. I don't think anything good [has] happened.

"The police don't think he was abducted.

"They think perhaps he has killed himself."

Ms Oppenheimer said police had not yet discussed with her any plans to call off the search.

Mr O'Brien, who was originally from Wellington, had been living in the US since 2000 after making a move from Australia.

His brother and one of his sisters have flown to the US to help with the inquiry.

- NZPA