National Missing Persons Week shines light on those missing from the Riverina Police District

Across the Riverina Police District six long-term missing cases - people who have been missing for more than 90 days - remain unsolved.

With the arrival of National Missing Persons Week, police and families are re-appealing for information to help bring their loved ones home.

According to the Australian Missing Persons Registry (AMPR), there are around 2600 long-term missing people across the country.

AMPR founder and director Nicole Morris said while the longer a person is missing, the more likely they are deceased, there have been miracle cases where people have been found.

"It is rare, but it does happen, one person was found who had been missing for 15 years and another person was found who had been missing since the 70s," Ms Morris said.

Clifford Parker, Rafael Vanegas, Donald Farthing, Amber Haigh, Nimah Maye and Andrew Bourke have all been missing for more than 10 years and were last seen within the Riverina Police District.

Police have said it is believed both Ms Maye and Ms Haigh were met with foul play, while it is speculated mental health conditions could have played a role in the disappearance of Mr Bourke and Mr Vanegas.

Ms Morris is urging residents and authorities to think about the role mental health has played in a lot of these cases.

"In the Riverina Police District we know that at least two of the six missing people suffered from mental health conditions, Mr Bourke had depression and the coroner believes he may have driven himself into the river," she said.

"Mr Vanegas also had schizophrenia.

"I think it's quite sad because in these circumstances it is preventable and I think that's what we should be talking to the community about more.

"I feel strongly about people taking their own lives leading to people missing for years."

Clifford Robert Parker was last seen leaving a property called Hazelwood Station, on the Sturt Highway at Balranald, on January 2, 2001.

It was reported to police that Mr Parker had left the property carrying a small grey/blue backpack and a swag which was marked "Hazelwood".

He had with him both of his dogs.

Mr Parker was born in 1970, and was reported missing in his 30s.

He would now be in his 50s.

Further information on Mr Parker has been scarce.

Rafael Jose Antonio Vanegas was last seen on November 12, 2002, leaving his unit on Edward Street, Wagga.

He was 58 when he went missing and would be 78 today.

Mr Vanegas, an El Salvadorian man, suffered with schizophrenia according to loved ones, and would often wander off into bush land according to police.

Loved ones, including son Jose Vanegas who was 14 at the time of his father's disappearance, have never given up, even seeking the help of a clairvoyant in a desperate bid to find answers.

Given Mr Venegas could only speak broken English, loved ones believe he wouldn't have been able to have gone too far from Wagga.

Andrew Neil Bourke, a former Wagga resident, has been missing since July 30, 2011, and was last known to be in the Gundagai area.

According to police, the then 44-year-old had been camping with a friend when his ute ended up in the Tumut River near Brungle.

While his friend, who was in the passenger's seat, escaped the sinking vehicle, Mr Bourke did not.

Ms Morris said it is widely speculated that Mr Bourke may have driven purposely into the river as he had suffered with depression, however, his body has never been found.

Mr Bourke is one of 15 children who grew up in Coolamon and his family continue looking for answers.

Last year Mr Bourke's brother, Thomas Bourke, submitted his DNA into the Missing Persons Registry in the hopes that one day his body will be found and the family will be able to finally have closure.

Donald Charles Farthing was 32 when he was last seen in Wagga in August 1968.

It is believed Mr Farthing may have moved interstate but that has not been able to be confirmed.

Police said it was believed Mr Farthing hired a vehicle which was later found in Victoria.

He would now be 88, wears glasses and is described as Caucasian in appearance.

Miss Morris said while Mr Farthing's case is more than five decades old, he would no doubt still have family members out there wanting to know what happened to him.

Niamh Maye, an 18-year-old from Armidale, was last seen at Jingellic on March 30, 2002.

Police said Miss Maye had been in Batlow picking fruit and was believed to have been driven to Tumut by an associate as she had arrangements to leave Batlow for Sydney to stay with her sister.

A coronial inquest in March 2012 determined Miss Maye had died at or near Tumut, by a person or persons unknown to her, on March 30 or 31, 2002.

Investigations are ongoing by Riverina police detectives, together with the State Crime Command's Unsolved Homicide Unit and Missing Persons Registry.

Miss May's older sister Fionnuala Hagerty has gone to great lengths over the years to find her baby sister and said she won't ever give up.

There is a $1 million reward for any information which leads to Ms Maye's remains.

Amber Haigh was reported missing in June 2002 after she failed to return to her home in Kingsvale - near Young.

Miss Haigh and her six-month-old son had been living with a married couple at the time.

It was reported the couple had dropped Miss Haigh off at a train station in Campbelltown on June 5, 2002, where she intended to travel by train to Mount Druitt.

A man and woman are currently before the courts accused of Miss Haigh's murder.

She has not been located and the circumstances of her disappearance remain undetermined.

Ms Haigh's mother and sister are desperate to lay her to rest and have made several pleas for information over the years.

There is a $1 million reward for anyone information which leads to the Ms Haigh's remains.

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