By Krissy Moreau
Police in South Canterbury are appealing for sightings of a missing, heavily tattooed local man, who may have something to do with the bodies of a man and a woman discovered in the hills behind Waimate.
But they won't say if the 43-year-old is the dead man found with the woman who appears to have been murdered.
The two bodies were found by moto-cross riders near Waihao Downs, west of the road between Waimate and Kurow yesterday afternoon.
Jenni McDonald found one of the bodies.
“Horrible, just seeing it, just horrible,” says Ms McDonald. “So unexpected. Out enjoying the day not ever thinking that we were going to come across something like this.”
What she came across while taking part in an off-road charity event held in a South Canterbury valley over the weekend was the body of a male lying just off the trail bike track.
“I could just tell because he was lying on his side facing away from the track,” she says. “But you could tell by the back of his neck – it was like white, a different colour. Of course the guy who tested for his pulse he said his lips were blue.”
Further up the trail, other riders had come across the body of a female.
“She had no pants on,” says Ms McDonald. “Apparently there was a box of alcohol – some sort of alcohol there as well.”
The charity ride had been organised so Waimate Main School could have a new cover on the pool.
While principal Adam Rivett wants to make clear the bodies had nothing to do with the event, he's glad someone was there to make the discovery.
“We are pleased we were up there at the time the bodies were found, because those bodies were found in that remote location and could have been there for a lot longer if we hadn't been up there,” says Mr Rivett.
While police still aren't saying much, McDonald still has dozens of questions about her gruesome discovery.
“I just couldn't get over no shoes. Who is he? Why is he here?” she asks.
It's a question police aren't shedding much light on, but 3 News understands they are interested in a heavily tattooed male by the name of Jason Frandi who has been reported missing.
They are also looking for sightings of Mr Frandi's 1997 328i Series silver BMW saloon, with the registration number ATT530.
It's expected the police cordon will remain at the scene over night.
3 News