New Zealand / Wellington Region

Search for Breanna Muriwai continues, one year on from disappearance

12:12 pm on 28 August 2023

Breanna Muriwai. Photo: Supplied / Police

It has been a year since Kāpiti woman Breanna Muriwai went missing.

The 22-year-old was last seen on Te Horo Beach in the early hours of 28 August, 2022.

A police spokesperson said they had spent thousands of hours trying to find her.

"We do believe someone out there knows what has happened to Breanna. Our goal is to conclude this investigation, find Breanna and help provide answers for her family."

Police said they were still following up leads and reviewing evidence relating to Muriwai's disappearance.

Her phone was found on the Kāpiti Coast about a month after she was seen last.

In June, Muriwai's mother, Jasmine Gray led a march to Parliament calling for more to be done to solve outstanding murder or missing person's cases across the motu.

At the time, she said there was a pattern of incompetent investigations and a lack of communication linking many of Aotearoa's cold cases.

"I want some transparency. We need some communication between the families and our justice system. We've got families with cases that have been going on for 20 years. We're left in limbo from the criminals and we're left in limbo with the justice system.

"We're tired, we're exhausted and all we want is to find our loved ones. We're left in the dark and it's not fair."

She and Anaherā Rigby, sister of Ariki Rigby - whose body was found in a burnt out car in a rural carpark in Hawke's Bay last September - met with former justice minister Kiri Allan.

Police said the investigation into Muriwai's disappearance was ongoing and anyone with information should contact them and reference file number 220829/5320.