16 minutes ago

Man found dead in car in Waikato River had been missing since 2019

16 minutes ago
Missing Ngaruawahia man Michael Murdoch.

Michael Murdoch went missing in 2019. His car was found in the Waikato River in August. Photo: NZ Police

Police have formally identified a man found dead in a car in the Waikato River nearly a year ago.

He was 44-year-old Michael Murdoch from Ngāruawāhia, who had been missing since 2019.

His body was found in his car last August by a company that removed wrecked cars and other hazardous materials from the river.

Police said the formal identification was a complex and lengthy process because Mr Murdoch had been in the river for so long.

They were treating his death as unexplained and it had been referred to the coroner.