A desperate search for a missing father and daughter has turned into a murder investigation after police uncovered two bodies on the NSW north coast.
Greg Hutchings, 35, and his four-year-old daughter Eeva Dorendahl-Hutchings have been missing from the coastal town of Pottsville since January 11.
Mr Hutchings was due to hand Eeva over to her mother at a local park on that day but never showed.
The disappearance sparked a massive land, air and sea search involving locals, State Emergency Service (SES) volunteers and police.
Tweed Heads Detective Superintendent Stuart Wilkins said the search had turned to sand dunes north of Pottsville on Tuesday after police received specific information last week.
At 10am (AEDT), an SES volunteer discovered two bodies beneath a tree in the dunes.
"It is quite obvious they have been deceased for a considerable period of time," he said.
"We are unable at this time to identify those bodies but it is certainly possible that they are our missing persons."
Supt Wilkins told News Corp Australia it was a murder investigation but the cause of death would be a matter for the coroner.
Mr Hutchings' grieving mother, Diana, said that Eeva was a beautiful girl and her son was a beautiful man.
"We are shocked, we need to process it and to show respect for two beautiful people," she told News Corp after the grim discovery.
"We were trying to help find them but now we just need the police to investigate."
Local business owner John Wightman said the tight-knit community was shocked.
"Everybody is very upset," he told AAP.
"The locals, the SES and all the organisations that could help were involved (in the search)."
Mr Hutchings was believed to be living in Pottsville and had recently been working at a local restaurant, White Jade.
Mr Hutchings' sister, Sheri Hutchings, and former work colleagues have spoken out since his disappearance about a custody battle with Eeva's mother, Michelle Dorendahl.
Ms Hutchings said the discovery of a Finnish passport was possibly the catalyst.
"He has been concerned that Eeva's mum might relocate them to Finland without Greg's knowledge," she wrote on her Facebook page earlier this month.
"His discovery of a secret Finnish passport for Eeva has probably been the catalyst for his hesitation in returning Eeva to her mum."
A former work colleague, who did not want to be named, said he believed Mr Hutchings had taken off because of a long-term custody spat with Eeva's mother.
However, Ms Dorendahl reportedly denied any plans to relocate with her daughter and made that clear to her ex-partner.
Share
