6:31 pm today

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

6:31 pm today
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.