Marice's online man married

Family prepare for funeral as friend tells of disappointment over web relationship

Marice McGregor learned just before she disappeared that a man she met through the internet was married, a friend says.

It is nearly a month since the 45-year-old beneficiary was last seen in her red Suzuki Escudo in Lismore Forest, about 20km north of Wanganui, and police have now found a body.

A friend told the Weekend Herald Ms McGregor had formed an internet relationship with a man and had lent him money. But shortly before she went missing, she learned he had a wife.

The friend said police had CCTV footage of Ms McGregor meeting the man in the Wanganui McDonald's.

Senior Sergeant Gwynne Pennell declined to comment on the claims.

Ms Pennell did not deny a recording had been seized, but when asked if it had led police to a man of interest said: "No, I'm not aware of that."

Nor did she deny that Ms McGregor was believed to have lent a man money. "In terms of what we've done with our scenes, we wouldn't make any comment."

On Thursday, a badly decomposed body was winched out of a steep ravine on State Highway 4, about 30km north of where Ms McGregor disappeared.

This weekend, specialist search staff, including divers, will comb the rugged terrain for evidence.

Ms McGregor's family believe the body to be hers, but police are saying little. "We have no identification here," Ms Pennell said. "This is a matter for the coroner and the post-mortem is still going on at the moment."

However, Ms McGregor's family are preparing for a funeral.

"I do understand their [police] point of view," brother Garth McGregor said. "They can't say it's Marice if it's not, but they are not looking for anybody else, are they?"

Mr McGregor said he would start planning the funeral with his brother, Rowan. Their sister would be laid to rest alongside her adopted parents, who died 10 years ago.

Marice had never been the same since their deaths, he said.

"She lost everything when my parents passed away. They were everything, her farming background ... everything."

Throughout the investigation, police have appealed for information about a green Mitsubishi people-mover. Last week, it emerged that the vehicle was linked to a house in Feilding where a police guard had been set up since the end of April.

Yesterday, baffled neighbours said the wheelchair-bound man who owned the van had moved out with his wife and children.

Sandra Watty, who lives behind the family, said the police "paid so much attention to the house".

"From that Friday [April 30] right through to [last] Thursday ... that's a long time. Must have been something serious that happened."

Another neighbour said he was interviewed by a detective this week.

"It's just really weird ... especially for police to come and talk to us so long after," he said.

Yesterday, above the ravine where the body was found, traffic was reduced to one lane and security staff were on guard.