A body found in the Kaimai Ranges is believed to be missing Auckland man Ronny Okeke.
It had been 52 days since anyone had last heard from the 60-year-old Sandringham man and now police are treating his disappearance as suspicious.
Okeke was last seen on Saturday, April 27 in Mt Roskill, however, he wasn't reported missing until six days later.
Police said last week they believe an "altercation" happened between a man and Okeke on, or around, the day he was last seen and they have spoken with a person of interest in relation to the disappearance.
On Wednesday, police revealed a body had been found in search for the missing man.
"While searching a section of bush in the Kaimai Ranges, the team have come across a man's body," Detective Inspector Glenn Baldwin said.
"A scene examination has been conducted and the body has now been removed from the site."
The Kaimai Ranges lie west of Tauranga and Det Insp Baldwin said police's investigation led the team to conduct the searches in the ranges.
"Formal identification procedures still need to be carried out, however based on the information we have gathered to this point in the investigation we believe that this is Ronny," he said.
Police have spoken to Okeke's family who are in Nigeria.
"This is news that no family ever wants to hear, and they are devastated that Ronny will not be coming home," Det Insp Baldwin said.
A post-mortem is scheduled to take place over the coming days and a forensic examination into Okeke's phone is continuing after it was found last week.
Police continue to ask anyone with information surrounding Okeke's death to make contact.
Anyone can call Police on 105 or go online to https://www.police.govt.nz/use-105 and using 'Update My Report'. Please reference file number 240501/3879. Information can also be provided anonymously by calling Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.
Newshub.
