Search continues for missing PhD student after car found near Piha

Police are searching for Sam Newton-Jones, a 33-year-old Auckland father of two, after his vehicle was discovered at the Mercer Bay Loop carpark near Piha. He was last seen at his workplace in Henderson on Tuesday afternoon. Newton-Jones had also visited the Mercer Bay Loop walking track on the morning of Monday, 19 October.

The missing man is approximately 185cm tall and wears glasses. He was last known to be wearing a white shirt, black pants, and black sneakers.

Newton-Jones, who was born in Dunedin, previously worked as an engineer before retraining as a psychologist in his mid-20s. He is currently in the final stages of completing his PhD. His family described his disappearance as “highly out of character”.

Anyone with information regarding his whereabouts should contact police on 105 or anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111, quoting reference 261020/5431.

How it developed

• Thu 22 Oct, 12:06pmPolice are using a range of resources in the hope of finding the missing man

Where reports differ

• One report refers to the man as Sam Newton, while others refer to him as Sam Newton-Jones
• One report notes he worked for Fulton Hogan and as a junior water engineer at Central Otago District Council

Compiled from reports by Stuff, NZ Herald, RNZ, 1News and Otago Daily Times.