Christchurch builder Michael Craig McGrath, 49, was last seen on Sunday evening May 21 at his home in Halswell, Christchurch. Photo / NZ Police
Christchurch builder Michael Craig McGrath, 49, was last seen on Sunday evening May 21 at his home in Halswell, Christchurch. Photo / NZ Police
Police are hopeful missing Christchurch builder Michael McGrath is still alive, as they take a "step-by-step, careful approach" to the investigation.
McGrath, 49, was last seen at his Checketts Ave home in the suburb of Halswell on May 21. He was reported missing two days later.
Detective Inspector Darryl Sweeney, who is leading the investigation, fronted media for the first time tonight, reiterating they are speaking to a "person of interest".
He said no arrests have been made and police were focusing on finding him alive.
Earlier today, a police spokeswoman confirmed that Christchurch Men's Prison Corrections officer David Benbow is "a person of interest who needs to be eliminated from the inquiry". The prison guard's rural property has today been the focus of a massive police investigation.
Police executed search warrants and raided the property Benbow shares with Joanna Green on the corner of Candys Rd and Sabys Rd just outside Halswell last night.
Armed police could be seen patrolling the cordon around the Benbow property today.
Police are also looking at a third property in connection to McGrath's disappearance - a house owned by Benbow's mother Shirley in the quiet Halswell cul de sac of Viceroy Place.
Police looking into the disappearance of Michael McGrath busy with investigations today at the property where Corrections officer David Benbow lives just outside Halswell. Photo / Kurt Bayer
It was cordoned off today with three police cars at the scene.
Corrections today referred all enquiries to police.
Police have also been looking at two cars.
Officers started knocking his neighbours' doors last Thursday and have completed a major scene examination of his red-bricked house.
Sweeney today said police continue to have concerns for McGrath's welfare.
Police inquiries, which include speaking with his family and friends and the scene examination of his home, indicate his absence was completely out of character.
Today, the investigation has been centred on Benbow's semi-rural property at the intersection of Candys Rd and Sabys Rd.
A large blue police tent was erected on the road at the entrance to the property.
White-suited forensic experts have been combing the area today.
By late morning, they moved the tent further inside the property which is surrounded by farmland.
Sweeney still wants to hear from anyone who had seen McGrath's blue 1994 Subaru station wagon in Christchurch over the weekend of May 21-23, seen McGrath during that time and anyone who he had completed building work for during that time.
His brother Simon McGrath says although there will "obviously going to be all sorts of theories" about the disappearance, the family is focusing on any sightings of him or his blue 1994 Subaru Legacy station wagon.
Christchurch Men's Prison Corrections officer David Benbow is a person of interest in the police investigation into missing Christchurch builder Michael McGrath. Photo / via Facebook
In a Facebook plea for information, Simon said: "Very unlike him to go walking - has never done so before and he has been in good spirits."
He also wrote that the family was "up and down". "At this stage, all we can mainly do is hope."
Simon McGrath referred other enquiries to police.
Missing person posters have been placed around the area.
One neighbour said police came to her last Thursday wanting to eliminate her silver car from their inquiries.
"It's really strange. It has us all worried," she said.
McGrath's blue station wagon was taken away from his property - just a few doors down from where "Black Widow" Helen Milner fatally poisoned Phil Nisbet in May 2009 - at the weekend.
Now, Sweeney is appealing for sightings of the Subaru over the weekend of May 20-22 in the Halswell area.
Neighbours have described McGrath as a quiet man who rarely had visitors.
"My kids say 'hi' to him when he's out gardening and when he was out biking, which he did a lot."
She said everyone was "really worried", especially at the mounting police activity.
A local shopkeeper said McGrath came in occasionally - but again said he was a very quiet, solitary figure.
She also had concerns for his welfare.
"It's just fingers crossed really," she said.
Anyone who has information about McGrath or has employed him in the past few weeks is asked to call Christchurch police on (03) 363 7400 and cite file number 170523/6008.
