Post-mortem exam of Urewera remains

A post-mortem examination is being conducted today on skeletal human remains found near Te Urewera National Park in the Bay of Plenty last weekend.

Detective Sergeant John Wilson, of Rotorua police, said it was likely to be that of Hemi Tapson, murdered 28 years ago by a rival gang member, or tax investigator Pat Fisk, who disappeared more than 50 years ago.

However, it could be up to two weeks before DNA tests confirmed the identity.

In the meantime, a post-mortem examination was being conducted to try to establish the cause of death.

The circumstances in which the remains were found made it unlikely the death was natural, Mr Wilson said.

- NZPA