Police have announced a $500,000 reward in the suspected murder case of Steven Fenwick, a 33-year-old who vanished almost a year ago.
Mr Fenwick was last seen leaving a bus on Nelson Bay Road at Fern Bay about 1pm on January 30, 2019.
Strike Force Kummari officer in charge Detective Sergeant Jeff Little said investigators believed Mr Fenwick was dead and had met with foul play.
Detective Sergeant Little said police hoped the reward, put up by the NSW government, would lead to fresh information for detectives.
He said investigators knew there were people in the community who knew Mr Fenwick and who knew more about his fate than they had told police - he urged them to speak up.
"As we approach the 12-month mark of Steven's disappearance, we believe there are people out there who can fill in the blanks with his final movements," he said.
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"It's been a year of uncertainty for the Fenwick family, and we want to get the answers Steven deserves."
Mr Fenwick's mother Debbie urged anyone with information about the case to contact police.
"Every day without answers is another day of heartache and confusion - we just want to know what happened," Ms Fenwick said.
"Please, if you know anything which may help detectives, it could make a world of difference."
Anyone who may have information about Mr Fenwick's disappearance is urged to contact Newcastle Police Station on (02) 4929 0999 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
