Human remains found by hunters in Kaingaroa Forest in April have been confirmed as missing Murupara man Lofty Maki.
Maki, 63, was reported missing on December 9 after visiting his sister in Murupara three days earlier, telling her at the time he intended to travel to Rotorua that day.
He left his sister’s place in a white Suzuki Grand Vitara and drove to the Rotorua Pak’nSave, then home again, for an unknown period of time, police reported in February.
His route from that point wasn’t certain, and Maki was reported missing on the evening of December 9.
In a statement today, police said DNA testing of the remains found by hunters in April took three months to return a result that established it was him. The process involved close relatives of Maki.