Man likely to be declared dead

Another missing south Auckland man is likely to officially be declared dead next year even though his body has not been found.

It will be the second time police will have taken the unusual step of asking a coroner to declare a man dead without a body.

Jason Kearney, 26, disappeared in 1996. Four years later police opened a homicide inquiry when an informant told them he had been murdered.

The information was fully investigated and police said although they did not have enough evidence to charge anyone, they still believed the informant was right but a name police were given was incorrect.

"I still believe he has been murdered. The two things we need to know is why and who," Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Gutry, from Counties Manukau police, said.

Mr Kearney left his Pakuranga home on August 17, 1996, and has never been seen since. His car was found the next day near Cossey's Dam in the Hunua Ranges.

Mr Gutry said eight years after Mr Kearney's disappearance a reward had expired but a payment would be considered if someone was convicted.

He said Mr Kearney was a "bit player" in the drug scene. He grew a small amount of cannabis and used it, but the chances of him being killed over a drug deal that went wrong could not be ruled out, though it was unlikely.

He was not suicidal or depressed.

Mr Gutry said early next year police would probably take a similar action to the case of missing south Auckland market gardener John Tam, and ask a coroner to rule Mr Kearney was dead.

Mr Tam, 60, was last seen eight years ago. His family reported him missing but no sign of him has been found.

Late last month a coroner declared him dead in unknown circumstances.

Detective Senior Sergeant Bernie Hollewand, also from Counties Manukau police, said it was unusual for someone to disappear completely and there was a good chance Mr Tam also had met a suspicious death and that someone knew about it.

The file would stay open as long as Mr Tam's death was unexplained, Mr Hollewand said. He was not suicidal, had no enemies, had nothing to hide from and had no chronic ailments or medical conditions.

"There is nothing but theories or possibilities and there is nothing to exclude any possibility," Mr Hollewand said.

If he had died a natural death it should have been in a public place and he should have been found.

- NZPA