Attribute to Detective Inspector Scott Anderson, Christchurch Metro Crime:
Police have located the body of a person during a search warrant at a residential property on Hereford Street, Christchurch, this morning.
Formal identification procedures are under way, however, we believe this to be missing 21-year-old Braydon Hepworth.
The death is being treated as unexplained, and a post-mortem will be carried out tomorrow.
This is a devastating outcome for his family, and our hearts go out to them. We are providing them with support at this extremely difficult time.
Braydon's last confirmed sighting was at Linwood Z Energy service station on 3 September.
Finding Braydon has involved a number of dedicated Police staff and it has been a significant operation.
While this is not the outcome we hoped for, there is a small comfort in being able to bring him home.
A scene guard remains in place at the property and Police will be in attendance at the address for a number of days while enquiries continue.
We can confirm today’s warrant was one of several executed as part of the ongoing effort to locate Braydon.
The investigation team is concentrating efforts on confirming Braydon’s movements and we are speaking with a number of people who are assisting our enquiries.
It is early in the investigation, and it will take time to build a clear picture of what has occurred.
Further details will be released proactively when we are in a position to do so.
We ask that anyone who has knowledge of Braydon’s movements, or who has information that could help the investigation, to please speak with us.
Please contact Police online at 105.police.govt.nz, clicking “update report”, or by calling 105. Use the reference number 260918/8420.
Information can also be provided anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 0800 555 111 or online at Crime Stoppers New Zealand.