The 65-year-old man charged with the murder of popular Northland woman Gaelene Bright has appeared in court.
He was charged on Tuesday with murdering Bright on May 1.
The man is also charged with unlawfully possessing a .22 between May 1 and May 8 and was remanded in custody to appear in the High Court in Whangārei in June.
He was granted interim name suppression.
Police said Bright was last seen on May 1 in the rural town of Waimamaku.
Her body was discovered Tuesday in the nearby Waipoua Forest, where forensic teams have been in place since.
Bright was well-known in the Hokianga area as a volunteer in the arts scene.
Police investigating Bright's disappearance established her vehicle was in the Te Kuiti area on May 4.
The vehicle is a white 2000 Holden Rodeo 4x4 with the registration number YW7634.
Officers have now located the double cab vehicle with a black tonneau cover just south of Te Kuiti, but are still eager to hear from anyone who may have seen it in the first week of May - travelling between Northland and Te Kuiti.
