Police in Waikato have identified a man whose body was found in a shallow grave north of Taumaranui on Wednesday as Nikora Wikaira, 58.
A post mortem was completed on Thursday and police are now returning Mr Wikaira's body to his family.
Preliminary results show that he was killed by a single gunshot wound to the upper body.
A 57-year-old local man has been charged with murder. Police say the victim and the suspect are related, but won't say how.
Detective Senior Sergeant Dave Kirby says police have finished their scene examination, and while searching a riverbank on Thursday found a firearm partly submerged in the water.
Mr Kirby says the 57-year-old may have hitch-hiked to Taumaranui from the Ongarue-Waimiha Road on Tuesday where he made some purchases before hitch-hiking back.
Police want to speak to the people who gave the man a ride.
