Tauranga doctor David Holland missing for three years: Mother’s fresh plea for help

This week his grieving mother, Karen Holland, approached the Bay of Plenty Times with a fresh plea for public information about her youngest son who she described as a “clever, multi-talented, beautiful human being”.

She said she hadn’t lost hope of seeing David again, but the pain of not having answers was crushing.

“It’s now 2025 – three years from one of the worst days of my life as a mother and as a person,” she said.

“If you are connected to his disappearance in any way, or know someone that may have been, please contact the police.”

Originally from Wales, Holland had lived in New Zealand since 2017 and applied for residency before his disappearance.

There were weeks of exhaustive efforts to try to find Holland, with searches by sea, air and land along the coastline from Mount Maunganui to Kaituna Cut coastline.

Friends and hundreds of community volunteers, including Tauranga Land Search and Rescue members, assisted in the police-led searches.

Heartbreaking news

“Life had changed forever” after the late-night call from New Zealand advising her there were concerns for her son’s safety.

The CCTV footage had “led to other theories” developing but no closure.

“We still don’t know that is him and no one has come forward to date to say that it is. We still have no news. Nothing. Just speculation.”

She described it as “a nightmare … we want to wake up”.

Having visited David several times in New Zealand, she said the country will always be special to her.

She also appealed directly to her son to get in contact.

“You are my waking thought, my last thought at night … if you see this appeal yourself David, please come back to us.”

Police respond to mother’s plea

A police spokeswoman said detectives had received information in the years since David’s disappearance.

“The latest of which was in 2024. This was followed up by the police. Unfortunately, this information did not assist further.”

Tauranga Police also posted on social media in a plea for information.

Anyone with any information that may assist the police should call 105 and quote reference number 220312/6860 or make contact online at 105.police.govt.nz, and click “Update Report”.

Sandra Conchie is a senior journalist at the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post who has been a journalist for 24 years. She mainly covers police, court and other justice stories, as well as general news. She has been a Canon Media Awards regional/community reporter of the year.