<\/p>\n
The person was wearing hiking boots, tan trousers, a dark hooded top, and was carrying a bag. The clothing was similar to items missing from David\u2019s home.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
This CCTV image shows a man believed to be missing Tauranga doctor David Holland walking on the Sandhurst Drive overbridge. Photo \/ NZ Police<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Last month, Karen travelled from her home in Swansea, Wales back to Tauranga and met Detective Senior Sergeant Michael Varnam to discuss the police investigation.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
She said she wanted to keep David\u2019s story \u201calive and fresh\u201d in the minds of people who may hold the answers she \u201cdesperately\u201d needed.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
She viewed a clearer version of the CCTV footage with Varnam, and she was convinced the man in the video was David.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
The video also appeared to show the same man walking down Truman Lane a few minutes later.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
She believed this was evidence that David had continued down the lane, past Mainfreight, towards the Te Maunga Transfer Station and State Highway 29A.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Karen Holland, the mother of missing Tauranga doctor David Holland, on Truman Lane, where she believes her son headed on March 11, 2022. Photo \/ Sandra Conchie<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
An estuary lies at the lane\u2019s eastern end, and she was uncertain how thoroughly it had been searched.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously, the police don\u2019t want to commit to it being David without making further inquiries, but I could see it was him,\u201d Karen said.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
She is urging the police to search further in the Truman Lane area.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cIf anything happened there, it needs to be searched.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
State Highway 29A heading towards Maungatapu. On the right is a small estuary at the east end of Truman Lane. Photo \/ Sandra Conchie<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Police were also taking another look at the contents of David\u2019s mobile phone.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cMichael [Varnam] told me the police now have more sophisticated tools to access previously unavailable information from this device,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Karen said she was awaiting a response from the police to her request to view all the information linked to the investigation.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
She urged people to cast their minds back to March 2022.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cAnything people can remember \u2013 any information at all that could be linked to David, not just on the night he disappeared \u2013 it could help provide the answers or new places to search.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cI just want people not to forget him. David could light up any room, and I want those who knew and cared about my son to keep him in their hearts.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
She said knowing where he was, whatever the outcome, was crucial.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t want David to become another missing person statistic. Anything that can relieve this ambiguous loss is better than living without answers.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Missing Tauranga man David Holland. Photo via NZ Police<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Originally from Swansea, David had lived in New Zealand since 2017 and applied for New Zealand residency shortly before he vanished.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Karen said they had been in regular contact, exchanging several calls and WhatsApp messages in January and February of 2022. On March 3, David sent her a message expressing distress about Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Then on March 10, the day before he vanished, he sent what would be his final message: \u201cEverything is lovely here, thank you [followed by a smiley face emoji]. Just done some teaching for the junior doctors on pain. I\u2019m holding on to the last of summer with some good surf along the coast.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
She said David had also texted about reading about the different ways people could support Ukraine, such as booking Airbnbs for refugees and displaced people.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cThat was the last I heard from him.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
David Holland with his mother, Karen. She has urged anyone with information about his disappearance to come forward to police. Photo via NZ Police<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
At one point, she briefly wondered whether David, who had a \u201cmassive social conscience\u201d, might have left New Zealand to help in Ukraine as a medic.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
He had been learning French with the intention of joining M\u00e9decins Sans Fronti\u00e8res, also known as Doctors Without Borders.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
During her Tauranga visit, Karen said she made the \u201cpainful and emotional\u201d decision to clear a storage locker holding his belongings.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve donated quite a bit of David\u2019s really nice stuff to Waipuna Hospice, which is a great cause and a very supportive organisation in the local community.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
She donated furniture, clothes, board games, \u201cexcellent\u201d diving gear and his underwater camera. He was an experienced diver and the medical lead on diving expeditions.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Karen returned to Swansea last month with some items she and her son cherished.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
She holds close to her heart her Evolve charm bracelets with 22 New Zealand-made beads, representing memories of her and David\u2019s \u201cwonderful times\u201d travelling together.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Karen and David Holland.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
She said he was constantly in her thoughts.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cLife has changed forever for our family, a further tragedy after the death of David\u2019s father, Phillip, from motor neurone disease in 2012, to whom he was very close.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I\u2019m walking around, I\u2019m looking at people\u2019s faces all the time, particularly anyone who might have David\u2019s colouring, because I think it could be that face that\u2019s lost in the crowd.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
She acknowledged the emotional toll of David\u2019s absence, but said she was fortunate to have the support from \u201cexcellent friends\u201d, including David\u2019s close mate Dean Ella, whom she described as her \u201crock\u201d, and her two other sons.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cBut day-to-day, it\u2019s bloody terrible not knowing what happened.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cTo be honest, I veer between thinking David\u2019s gone and I won\u2019t see him again, and having hope that he is still out there and we will meet again.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n
\nPolice investigation
\n
<\/p>\n
Varnam said the police continued to make inquiries into David\u2019s disappearance.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Comprehensive searches were conducted when he was reported missing.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cHowever, unfortunately, these were unsuccessful, and his whereabouts were still unknown.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cAs we approach the four-year anniversary, we acknowledge David\u2019s family will have unanswered questions as to what happened in 2022, and we continue to work to find those answers.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Missing person cases remained open and were subject to extensive annual reviews, he said.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are always interested to hear from anyone who might have information about David and encourage people to report any information to the police.”<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Anyone with information that might help the police can visit\u00a0105.police.govt.nz<\/a>, click \u201cUpdate Report\u201d or call 105 and quote reference file number 220312\/6869.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n