Leonie Emery - 2018
Leonie Emery - 2018
25-year-old Leonie Emery
has been missing since 2018
Seven years ago, Leonie Emery disappeared without a trace leaving behind four children and her devasted whānau.
Leonie was a free spirit who moved around regularly, so whānau were used to periods of no contact but in 2018, when her mother realised no one had seen, or heard from Leonie for some time, her whānau started their own search. In early 2019, when their efforts led nowhere, Leonie’s mother went to the Police. By that point, it’s believed Leonie had been missing for a year.
Missing woman Leonie Emery is the mother of five children, four of whom are living.
The investigation into Leonie’s disappearance has been complicated. Along with the delay in reporting her missing to police, Leonie did not have her own bank account, cell phone or vehicle. Leonie’s new relationship had recently ended, she had moved out of her rural South Auckland home and she was staying with different friends and whānau.
After an extensive investigation and examining all possible scenarios, police believe Leonie has most likely been the victim of foul play. However, they know that with help from the public Leonie’s case is solvable.
There are gaps in the timeline police have built leading up to Leonie’s disappearance, identifying where she was and the people she was with, could be key to cracking the case.
Police know that Leonie spent Christmas 2017 at a cousin’s home on Marne Road Papakura, Auckland. From there she traveled with new friends to Waikokowai, a small community outside Huntley in the Waikato, to celebrate the New Year.
Leonie primarily used social media to keep in touch with whānau. Her last Facebook post was from Waikokowai in early 2018, but all of her online activity ends there.
Taken in 2018, this is the last known photo of Leonie Emery.
Police believe Leonie was picked up on, or around, the 12th of January 2018 by a woman described as being Māori and looking like a “female rugby player” in a light blue Nissan Pulsar type hatchback.
Police are urgently asking for that woman to come forward.
Two weeks later, on the 26th of January Leonie attended a party at a relative’s home in Ngāruawāhia where she was allegedly assaulted by a group of young women.
Police need to hear from anyone who was at that party in Ngāruawāhia.
Police also need to hear from anyone who knows where Leonie was staying and who she was with between leaving Waikokowai on the 12th of January and attending the party on the 26th January.
Police believe Leonie travelled to Ngāruawāhia in a blue Nissan - Possibly a Pulsar, Sunny or a Sentra type hatchback, and they’re asking for your help to understand who that car belonged to.
Similar to pictures: Police believe Leonie may have been traveling in a light blue Nissan, possibly a Pulsar (above) or Sunny (below).
Leonie appeared back at her cousin’s Marne Road home in Papakura at some point after the Ngāruawāhia party on the 26th of January the 4th of February 2018. Police believe that this is the last sighting of Leonie so understanding how she traveled the 75km from Ngāruawāhia to Papakura is of vital importance to the investigation.
Crucially, where did she go when she left Papakura and who was she with?
Police have traced Leonie’s last known movements between these key locations.
Police have revealed that forensic analysis was carried out at a location linked to Leonie in the Bombay Hills, South Auckland. The results indicate blood had been previously cleaned up at that location. The blood is unexplained and unaccountated for so the investigators need to hear from anyone who may know what occurred at that address.
Now is the time to come forward - It’s not too late to provide Leonie’s whānau with some answers.
If you can help, call 0800 COLD CASE (0800 2653 2273) or .
The Cold Case episode can be watched in full on