Police have formally identified a man found dead in a car in the Waikato River last August

He was 44-year-old Michael Murdoch from Ngaruawahia - who'd been missing since September 2019.

His body was found by a company that clears cars and hazardous materials from the river.

Police say formal identification was complex and lengthy - because of the significant time spent in the river.

His death is being treated as unexplained and has been referred to the Coronor.