A body recovered in a rural area north west of Napier, is that of missing man Johnny Wright, police have confirmed.
Detective Senior Sergeant Dave de Lange says provisional post mortem results indicate he died as a result of injuries received from an assault.
Mr Wright, 50, had not been seen since June. Police began a homicide investigation earlier this month after an examination of two houses he lived in indicated some sort of violence may have occurred.
Detective Senior Sergeant de Lange says police are appealing for help from the public so they can find out how Mr Wright died and who was responsible.
