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Police have confirmed that a body found in dense bush in Pukekohe last week has been formally identified as missing Auckland woman Te Anihana Pomana.
Detective Senior Sergeant Martin Friend, Auckland Central Area Investigations Manager, said today that Pomana’s whānau have been notified.
“Our thoughts and sympathies are with Te Anihana’s whānau and friends at this difficult time,” Friend said.
Pomana’s death has been referred to the Coroner.
The discovery was made at around 7.43pm on Saturday, 22 November, when officers were called to bushland on the outskirts of Pukekohe.
Police were searching the area as part of the ongoing investigation into Pomana’s disappearance, which had prompted weeks of public appeals, whānau-led searches and widespread support on social media.
The 25-year-old was last seen on August 21 after leaving SkyCity in central Auckland just after 5am and walking west along Victoria Street West. Many of her belongings were later found left behind, and despite extensive CCTV enquiries, police were unable to confirm any sightings after that point.
Her South Island–based whānau travelled to Auckland to assist police, launching their own search efforts and maintaining public visibility of the case.
Multiple appeals were issued by police. On September 5, Friend said there had been “no sightings despite exhaustive efforts” and concern for her wellbeing was increasing. Further updates on September 11 confirmed investigators held “grave concerns for her safety” after three weeks with no confirmed sightings.
Police also investigated suggestions she may have travelled to Northland or to the South Island, but no verified sightings were recorded.
Pomana’s whānau made repeated appeals for information and set up a Givealittle page to help meet travel and accommodation costs. They described her disappearance as “unbearable” and said her absence had left “a hole in our hearts”.
A dedicated Facebook page, Always Ani, gained more than 6,000 followers and became a hub for updates and messages of support from across the country.
