Sam Newton-Jones

Sam Newton-Jones was a 33-year-old West Auckland man who had been <cite index="8-9">a much-loved son, husband and father-of-two</cite>, <cite index="5-11">born in Dunedin, having initially qualified and worked as an engineer</cite> before <cite index="6-10">deciding in his mid-20s to re-train as a psychologist</cite>. <cite index="9-14,9-15">Born in Dunedin, Sam originally qualified and worked as an engineer, but decided in his mid-20s to re-train as a psychologist, and he was currently in the final stages of completing his PhD</cite>. He had begun his doctoral studies, a Doctor of Clinical Psychology, at the University of Auckland in February 2023 and was working as an intern psychologist at the time he went missing.

<cite index="2-3,2-4">A search continued into its third day for a "much-loved" Auckland father of two whose car was found at a popular walking track near Piha Beach, with Sam Newton-Jones, 33, last seen at his workplace in nearby Henderson on Tuesday afternoon</cite>. <cite index="5-9">Newton-Jones had also visited Mercer Bay Loop on the morning of Monday, October 19</cite>, and <cite index="7-7">he is approximately 185cm tall and wears glasses</cite>. <cite index="3-7,3-8,3-9">In a statement, Newton-Jones' family said he was a much-loved son, husband and father-of-two, and his disappearance was deeply concerning, describing him as "warm, empathetic and incredibly generous" and saying he played a significant role in the lives of his family and friends</cite>. His family also set up a Givealittle fundraising page to support them through the search for him.

<cite index="10-13">His family said Newton was "very devoted to his young family, and his disappearance is highly out of character"</cite>. <cite index="4-8,4-9">The family also shared that, like many New Zealanders, Sam had experienced his own mental health challenges, but that he had recently described himself as feeling optimistic about the year ahead</cite>. Police and search teams spent more than a week focused on the area around Piha, and <cite index="4-10,4-11">Sam's family repeatedly urged members of the public to contact police with any sightings, observations or information that might help, asking Piha locals in particular to stay aware of him</cite>.

On 9 November 2026, more than two weeks after he was first reported missing, Newton-Jones's family announced that he had died. The announcement came directly from his family rather than from police, and at the time of writing the exact date, location and cause of his death have not been made public by police or a coroner. This page will be updated as confirmed details become available.

Newton-Jones leaves behind his wife and their two children, as well as his wider family in Dunedin and Auckland. He is remembered by those who knew him as a devoted husband and father who, after retraining in his mid-twenties, had dedicated himself to a career helping others through psychology, and whose disappearance and death have been felt deeply in both the West Auckland community around Piha and his hometown of Dunedin.