Parents' DNA wanted after skeleton found

Police are seeking DNA samples from the parents of a man who went missing over 12 years ago after a skeleton was found near Gisborne.

The man was reported missing in October, 1993, but a skeleton was discovered in the Wharerata Forest, southwest of Gisborne, only two months ago.

Police yesterday announced they had upgraded their investigation to a homicide inquiry and Detective Senior Sergeant Craig Scott of Gisborne today said they were seeking DNA samples from the man's parents, who are living overseas, in a bid to find out if the remains were his.

Mr Scott said there were no definite links to the man but a forensic pathologist had provided a description that was "in the ballpark" of the man who has not been seen since 1993.

"At that time, some inquiries were made into his disappearance, but we were looking at a possibility that he had actually left the country.

"But this is all of course provided that these human remains are actually associated with his disappearance and that's something that we're still a fair way from establishing," he told National Radio.

At the time of the man's disappearance, police had been given a reason for his departure, but Mr Scott would not say what that reason was.

"At that time the explanation or the reason given for his disappearance that one group gave us did seem reasonable."

Police had been back in contact with a friend of the man's who reported him missing.

Two forestry workers had unearthed the skeleton after finding a pair of shoes.

Forestry worker Bruce McMahon said he and a co-worker were on a forestry track just 500m off State Highway 2 when they saw a pair of trainers.

"We've just seen a pair of shoes, which we thought was a bit unusual, so we looked a bit further down the hill and seen some bones sticking out of the shoes and more bones further down the hill," he told One News.

- NZPA