Psychics used to help find body, inquest told

Two psychics helped to direct family and friends to the body of a Taranaki man who had drowned after falling into a river in Stratford.

Stephen Murphy, 37, had been missing for 10 days and was found dead in Patea River near a walking track in King Edward Park, Stratford on September 10 last year.

Friends and family reached out to two psychic mediums after they realised Mr Murphy had not been seen for a number of days and the psychics directed them to the area of King Edward Park where Mr Murphy's body was found the next day, Coroner Tim Scott said in his finding in the death.

Coroner Scott said Mr Murphy suffered from seizures and had been drinking at the time of his death. He could not conclude whether he fell in to the river as a result of a seizure or from intoxication.

The coroner found there was no reason to believe Mr Murphy committed suicide or that there was anybody else involved in his death.

Coroner Scott said he hoped his finding would end speculation in the Stratford community about the circumstances around Mr Murphy's death.

Meanwhile, a coroner has found a 48-year-old Northland man drowned when he fell from his dinghy while rowing out to his yacht.

The body of Ronald Raison was found at Tangitu Bay, Kerikeri on August 27, 2010. He was last seen a fortnight earlier on August 13, 2010.

Mr Raison lived on a yacht moored in Matauwhi Bay, Russell, and used a small dinghy to get to and from the yacht.

He had been drinking with a woman the night he disappeared and had intended to return to his yacht to sleep that night, the coroner said.

His dinghy and some of his belongings were found washed up in the sand near Te Wahapu Road, Russell on August 14.

Coroner Marshall said the weather was not good when Mr Raison attempted to return to his yacht.

Coroner Marshall said the most logical explanation for Mr Raison's death was that while attempting to reach his yacht he had fallen out of his dinghy and drowned.