Focus on finding gang member's killer

Kimble Moore

A body found in a rural area near Kaitaia has been confirmed as that of missing gang member Kimble Moore.

An autopsy was completed in Auckland yesterday after police recovered the body on Thursday.

Mr Moore, 48, who was a patched member of the Tribesmen Motorcycle Club, had been missing since March 17 and police last month upgraded the investigation to a homicide.

"Our thoughts are with Mr Moore's family during what has been a deeply distressing time for them, " a police spokeswoman said.

"We hope that they will get some degree of comfort knowing that they will now be able to bring their whanau member home."

Police said their focus remained firmly on the investigation and bringing the person or people responsible for the death to justice.

A scene examination continued yesterday where the body was recovered in bush a few hundreds metres off Duncan Rd. It was expected to be completed late yesterday.

Mr Moore, from Waipapakauri, was reported missing by his partner from a Taipa address early in March.

More than 20 police and volunteers searched an isolated area of bush northeast of Kaitaia for Moore.

They searched a 3km stretch of roadside as well as 21ha of native bush, pine and gum trees but did not find Mr Moore.