Would-be Shortland St actress Tania Ellwood one of two found dead in Auckland half-way house

Family members of a man found dead with a missing actress in an Auckland house have paid tribute to their relative.

Police yesterday confirmed missing Auckland woman Tania Ellwood, 39, and Timothy Kerr Hamilton, 36, also of Auckland were the pair found dead in Dryden Lodge in Grey Lynn.

Police say the pair were known to each other and that they were not looking for anyone else in relation to the matter.

Police were called to Dryden Lodge, which operates as a halfway house for many tenants with drug and alcohol problems, at 3.15pm on Tuesday.

Upon arrival, police found two people dead.

A maintenance worker was the first to discover the two bodies.

Police said the pair were known to each other and that they were not looking for anyone else in relation to the matter.

However, as the investigation was ongoing police wanted to hear from anyone who may have seen Ellwood or Hamilton after 11am on February 28 .

They were still working to establish what had occurred at the address.

Hamilton's shocked brother, Jesse Hamilton, said funeral preparations were under way and he was finding it diffcult to cope with the loss.

Police have identified former Shortland Street actress Tania Ellwood, 39, as one of the two people found dead at a halfway house in Auckland this week. Photo / Getty Images

Hamilton's nephew Julian Rika had taken to social media to remember his uncle.

"Rest in Peace Uncle Tim. Gonna miss you and your crack-up jokes ... love you bro ... too early."

"Rest in peace my brother I love you so much," Jesse posted.

The matter would be referred to the coroner at the end of the investigation.

The downstairs level of the Grey Lynn property had been partially cordoned off and inside the cordon were single bedrooms and a kitchen, resident James Davidson said.

Davidson has lived in the lodge for two years.

He told the Herald he woke from an afternoon nap on Tuesday to find police everywhere.

He did not know the people who had died but said a lot of the lodge residents had alcohol and drug issues.

A room at the lodge costs between $200 and $400 a week, Davidson said.

A man who calls himself Al Cameno said he rushed to the property when he heard what had happened.

He described the scene he encountered as "something out of a horror movie".

He said he saw blood in the room where the bodies lay.

"Flies were buzzing around the windows," he said.

"My biggest fears come true."

The discovery of the bodies followed a police appeal to the public on Tuesday morning to help find Ellwood, saying they were concerned for her safety.

Ellwood was last seen in Newmarket about 9.30am on February 28.

She had last been in contact with family the night before at 6pm and it was said to be out of character for her not to be in contact.

Ellwood is listed on StarNow as being an actor, hair stylist, make-up artist and fashion stylist. She landed a spot on Shortland Street playing a minor character called Mandy Timmins.

However, producers for the soap opera, South Pacific Pictures, said while Ellwood was confirmed to appear as an extra on one episode in 2006, she pulled out at the last minute and the role had to be recast.