Body in stream: Friends will miss man with 'really big heart'

Security camera footage showing Richard Herekiuha at Pak'nSave a week before his body was discovered.

The man found dead in a stream in Fordlands has been described as a quiet, loving man with "a really big heart".

Richard Hoani Herekiuha, 43, was discovered in Otamatea Stream on Tuesday morning near Ruth St.

Police said the last confirmed sighting of him before that was the previous Tuesday at his home in Fordlands.

Police will not comment at this stage on the cause of death.

Mr Herekiuha was from the Eastern Bay of Plenty but moved to Rotorua last year, police said.

A close friend, who wanted to be known only as Renea, said Mr Herekiuha would be greatly missed by their group of friends who socialised together each week. She said his tangi was being held in Paeroa.

"We are shocked. We still can't believe it and had been wondering where he's been and why hadn't we seen him.

"He was a simple man, very quiet but happy and loving and had a really big heart. He was very much a local of Fordlands.

"All of us got together each week, have couple of quiet ones and a barbecue.

"We used to call ourselves the Balcony Boys because one of our mates has a huge balcony and we'd sit in the sun and catch up.

"I'm going to miss his smile, his laughter and his company; him being with us, that's what I will really miss the most."

Renea said Mr Herekiuha did not usually go near the stream.

"He usually walked on the footpath. I don't know why was he down there. He never goes down there."

Mr Herekiuha travelled around on a black mountain bike.

The bike and his black bike helmet were recovered close to a track that runs from the intersection of Sunset Rd and Wrigley Rd through to the Ruth St area where Otamatea Stream joins Utuhina Stream.

The bike was seen on Monday about 10 to 15m from where Mr Herekiuha was found the following day.

Police want to speak to anyone who used that track between Tuesday May 19 and Tuesday May 26 and saw that black mountain bike, or anything else that might assist the investigation.

"Although we provisionally know how Mr Herekiuha died, we need to piece together his movements over the past week before we can draw any conclusions about the circumstances," Detective Senior Sergeant Zane Smith said.

"Until this work is carried out I can't and won't speculate as to whether anything untoward has occurred."

He said security camera footage showed Mr Herekiuha at Pak'nSave on the morning of Tuesday May 19.

"We ask that people study this image and cast their minds back over the last week to any sightings or information that might assist us."

•Anyone with information should contact Rotorua police on (07) 348 0099.