https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/dec/08/grace-millane-new-zealand-missing-british-backpacker-m...
A 26-year-old man has been charged with the murder of the missing British backpacker Grace Millane, New Zealand police have said.
Millane, 22, disappeared a week ago. Police said the 26-year-old man would appear at Auckland district court on Monday morning
Car the key to Grace Millane's alleged murder - former police inspector
9 Dec, 2018 5:00am
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12173680
Police believe grand-daughter of former mayor of Thurrock has been murdered
By Staff Reporter on December 8, 2018
NEW Zealand Police have announced they believe missing British backpacker Grace Millane has been murdered reports the BBC.
The 22-year-old from Essex – described by her father as “lovely” and “family-orientated” – was last seen in New Zealand a week ago.
Miss Millane is the grand-daughter of former mayor of Thurrock and Chadwell St Mary councillor, Martin Millane. He passed away in 2000.
Det Insp Scott Beard said the evidence told them she was “no longer alive”.
A 26-year-old man – who was with Miss Millane before she went missing – is being held in Auckland in connection with the murder.
“Grace’s family have been advised of this development and they are devastated,” Det Insp Beard added.
The announcement follows a review of CCTV footage, the forensic examination of a hotel where she was last seen on Saturday 1 December, and the discovery of a vehicle.
Police confirmed the man being held was with Miss Millane on the Saturday evening and “went to a number of places before going to the CityLife Hotel”, where she was last seen.
Backpacker ‘last seen with man at hotel’
Miss Millane’s body has not been found, but Det Insp Beard said police were “determined to do everything we can to find her”.
He added the “thoughts of all New Zealanders will be with Grace’s family tonight”.
Miss Millane, who graduated from the University of Lincoln in September, had been travelling alone in New Zealand for two weeks, following a six-week group trip through South America.
She had booked to stay at the Base Backpackers hostel in central Auckland until 8 December.
Speaking at a news conference in Auckland on Friday, Grace’s father, David Millane, said his daughter had been “bombarding us with numerous photographs and messages of her adventures” before she went missing.
A number of Miss Millane’s belongings – including her passport, a silver necklace and pink watch – are missing, and police say they hope their discovery could help them locate her body.
http://www.yourthurrock.com/2018/12/08/police-believe-grand-daughter-former-mayor-thurrock-murdered/
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/video-grace-millanes-hometown-priest-talks-devastating-n...
Video: Grace Millane's hometown priest talks 'devastating' news of missing British backpacker's murder
A priest from backpacker Grace Millane’s hometown in the UK has called the news of her death "devastating".
Father John Corbyn, a priest at Our Lady of Good Counsel in Wickford, Essex, told the BBC how many of the young parishioners had grown up with her.
"Devastating for the family, obviously, and friends. Many young people in our parish knew her. Some went to school with her and went on school journeys with her so it will have hit the parish really, very bad.
"Her disappearance was bad enough, but this is very, very sad."
Grace was last seen outside the City Life hotel on Queen Street, in the Auckland CBD, at around 9.41pm last Saturday, Auckland Police Detective Inspector Scott Beard said.
A 26-year-old man has been remanded in police custody and will appear in the Auckland District Court tomorrow charged with her murder.
Police said yesterday they were yet to locate the 22-year-old.
"We still do no know where Grace is. We are determined to find her and return her to her family."