Police seek white Mazda 3 in February homicide of Sharlene Smith

Police are investigating the homicide of 64-year-old Sharlene Smith, whose body was discovered at a worksite on Taihape Road in Omahu on February 3, 2026. Authorities have now issued an appeal for public help, focusing on a white Mazda 3 seen in the area days earlier.

Sharlene Smith, from Rotorua, was found dead at the Omahu site two days after she was last seen. Her death is being treated as a homicide, though no arrests or further suspects have been announced since the initial investigation.

Detectives are searching for a white 2005 Mazda 3 sports hatchback, believed to have travelled between Awatoto and Marewa, Napier, between 8am and midday on February 1, 2026. They are asking anyone who saw the vehicle or knows its route to come forward.

Investigators are also looking for Smith's missing belongings: a handbag and a Samsung Galaxy A06 mobile phone. These items are thought to have been discarded along the Mazda's journey.

The case remains under active investigation, with police urging witnesses to provide details about the car's movements or the missing items. No additional suspects have been identified beyond the initial findings.