KEY POINTS:
The mystery of skeletal remains found in west Auckland bush is a step closer to being resolved.
The body may have been in dense bush in the Waitakere Ranges for up to 20 years and police said today they now had a list of 12 to 15 possible identifications.
Detective Sergeant Roger Small said they were working on reducing that list even further before they went to families for dental records in the hope of confirming the identity.
The body was found by pig hunters and police said although there was nothing suspicious about the man's death, it was important for his family he was identified so he had some dignity in death.
He was thought to have disappeared between 1987 and 1992.
"We are trying to get as much information from members of the public and narrow it right down before we start making approaches to families for dental records.
"I have got a dozen or 15 that are possibilities and there are two or three out of there that are our best pick.
"I am confident we will identify him but how long it will take I am not sure."
He said any death was tragic and some people still held a glimmer of hope they would turn up 20 or 30 years after a person disappeared.
The man was between 172cm and 174cm tall, of muscular build, a smoker and an asthmatic.
The man was wearing a brown bomber-style jacket, a chequered shirt with a Chinese-style collar, green sweatshirt, long trousers likely to be jeans and black and white adidas shoes.
In his possession were keys for a Mitsubishi car, a Suzuki motorcycle and a Legge or Underwood back door key.
Mr Small said anyone who might know who the man was should contact him on (09) 839 0663.
- NZPA
