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‘Horror on our whenua’ - tell us where her body is, missing woman’s mum tells suspects

Author
NZ Herald ,
Publish Date
Sat, 8 Apr 2023, 4:17PM

‘Horror on our whenua’ - tell us where her body is, missing woman’s mum tells suspects

Author
NZ Herald ,
Publish Date
Sat, 8 Apr 2023, 4:17PM

The mum of missing woman Breanna Muriwai has issued an emotional appeal to the two men deemed persons-of-interest in her disappearance last year.

“I’m just giving you one last chance, one more opportunity to tell me where my daughter is,” Jasmin Gray said in a video on to her Facebook page this week.

“We just want her home.”

Muriwai, aged 22, was last seen early on Sunday, August 28 at Te Horo Beach on the Kāpiti Coast. The Herald sought and was granted permission to quote Gray’s video via an intermediary.

 “All you have to do is just tell us where she is,” Gray said.

“I’m not going to beg you any more. I know you’ve done something to her.

“And I know she wouldn’t have gone down without a fight.”

Muriwai has never been found and there have been no arrests.

Breanna Muriwai's family describe her as outgoing and vibrant.

Breanna Muriwai's family describe her as outgoing and vibrant.

Police say the chances of her walking back through her family’s door are now “incredibly remote”.

Investigators believe the two men who were with Muriwai before she disappeared hold the key to what happened.

But several interviews with the pair have raised more questions than answers, according to Detective Senior Sergeant Dave Thompson.

Muriwai, who lived on the Kāpiti Coast, was picked up on the Friday before her disappearance by a male friend from Wellington. They travelled to Palmerston North where they stayed until Saturday night.

The last CCTV images of Muriwai were captured at a liquor store in Palmerston North about 11.15am Saturday.

Breanna Muriwai was captured with a male associate on the CCTV of a Palmerston North liquor store at 11.30am on Saturday. Photo / NZ Police

Breanna Muriwai was captured with a male associate on the CCTV of a Palmerston North liquor store at 11.30am on Saturday. Photo / NZ Police

That evening, police say she wanted to return home to Paraparaumu and her friend from Wellington agreed to take her.

They began to head back, picking up another man on the way and continuing south.

They stopped shortly before 1am at Kimberley Reserve near Levin for a short time before continuing to Ōtaki, where her friend withdrew money from Muriwai’s bank account.

The trio then drove a short distance before parking outside Hunting and Fishing in Ōtaki’s main street, police believe.

They then travelled to meet a fourth person at Hyde Park on the corner of State Highway 1 and Te Horo Beach Rd.

At this point, Muriwai and the two people she was earlier travelling with drive to Te Horo Beach Rd, parking on the beach access on Sea Rd.

Then things become murky.

“Breanna is reported to have run off down the beach and has not been seen since,” Detective Senior Sergeant Thompson said.

“Her phone stopped polling earlier in the night and her bank account has not been touched.

The green Honda police seek sightings of in connection with Muriwai's disappearance. Photo / NZ Police

The green Honda police seek sightings of in connection with Muriwai's disappearance. Photo / NZ Police

“She has not been in contact with family or friends, nor has she accessed her social media accounts.

“This is completely out of character for her.”

Investigators are keeping an open mind as to what happened and continue to treat her death as unexplained, Detective Senior Sergeant Thompson said.

He earlier told the Herald police have still not found the purple suitcase that was seen with Muriwai’s waterlogged phone and handbag by the beach access of Te Horo on the same day she disappeared.

The suitcase was opened by a member of the public, who took photographs of its contents. But by the time this information reached the police, the suitcase had been removed and it has not been seen since.

The purple suitcase police are seeking. Photo / NZ Police

The purple suitcase police are seeking. Photo / NZ Police

Police continue to seek sightings of two vehicles – a silver Peugeot on the night of August 27, or the early hours of August 28, in the area of Kimberley Reserve, Otaki Main Rd, Hyde Park, Te Horo Sea Rd beach access, Peka Peka and the former Marycrest school area.

They also want to hear from anyone who saw a green, early-model Honda in the early hours of Monday, August 29, 2022.

In a post accompanying the video, Gray said it was the last time she would address the two “main suspects, their associates and the people who played a role in the clean up of my daughters disappearance”.

“I’m giving you all one last opportunity to do the right thing and tell us where you’ve put my daughters body!

“I shouldn’t have to beg for mercy, let us bring her home, this is not right.

“One last chance before I begin my life’s mission / purpose to stand up against this horror on our whenua.

“All you have to do is send a message to me or one of my loved ones disclosing the location and we’ll go get her!”

In the video, she speaks directly to those she believes were involved in the disappearance.

“How do you think it’d feel if this was your baby?

“Just give it up, just tell us where she is and then you can go on with your life.

“Just please give her back.”

Anyone with information was asked to contact Police by visiting their local station or calling 105, quoting file number 220829/5320.

Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

The Peugeot police seek sightings of in connection with Muriwai's disappearance. Photo / NZ Police

The Peugeot police seek sightings of in connection with Muriwai's disappearance. Photo / NZ Police

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