New twist in Marice hunt

A body found on Thursday is thought to be that of Marice McGregor, last seen in her red Suzuki Escudo on April 19. Police are now talking to a Feilding amputee. Photo / Wanganui Chronicle

A man described by police as helping their investigation into missing Wanganui woman Marice McGregor told a friend he met her on the internet more than two years ago.

The Feilding man has been the subject of local attention after his home was searched, then put under police guard by officers hunting for McGregor.

Police said they did not have a prime suspect but were considering several people of interest. They focused on the man's house because a car parked there matched the description of a vehicle they were hunting for in connection with McGregor's disappearance.

The man shared the Feilding home with his wife and her two children until shortly after the police interest.

The family then moved out, with the wife telling landlord John Lissett they "didn't feel right" living in the area.

McGregor's family are now gathering to plan for her funeral - even though police have not told them whether the body found in a ravine north of Wanganui is hers.

Garth McGregor said he knew nothing of his sister's relationship with the man. "He didn't exist as far as we knew."

He said it was almost impossible to consider McGregor had a secret double life. "You know with your sister... no way."

But a woman who has known the man for five years said he first spoke of McGregor in 2007.

"He came to me about 2 years ago and told me his friend needed help and asked me to recommend counsellors. He said she was depressed... that he met her on the internet and had spoken to her in person."

She said the man referred to his friend as Marice and Katrina - names police say McGregor used. "I gave him a list of counsellors and then didn't think about it again. Then I saw her in the newspaper."

The woman, who got in touch with police yesterday, knew the man well and attended his wedding about six months after he spoke to her about McGregor.

She said he had two children who lived in Hawke's Bay.

The woman said he had one leg amputated and alternated between using a prosthetic leg and a wheelchair.

The man was a churchgoer and into computers.

"He was always on MSN and in chatrooms," the woman said.

He did not respond to messages left on his cellphone yesterday.

McGregor was last seen on April 19 as she drove her red Suzuki Escudo on State Highway 4 about 40km north of Wanganui.

Police believe she got into a vehicle at some point on April 19. Her disappearance was not reported for a week after that.

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

Although the body has not been formally identified, Garth McGregor said the family were resigned to the fact it was his sister. "We don't know when we can have the funeral... we're only just starting to think about it," he said.

He said police broke the news to him over a conference call that a body had been found. "They rang and asked me to come in, but I was out of town. I can't remember exactly what they said... the shock."

Police spokeswoman Kim Perks said yesterday nothing had changed and no one was in custody.