Family learns of man's death via Facebook

The family of a Sydney man missing for almost a week learned he was dead through police social media.

Paul Parkinson, 64, went missing from his Blakehurst home on Monday, October 17, and his body was found on Sunday several streets away.

Yet his family first learned the news when a friend contacted them after seeing a police press release announcing the discovery on Facebook.

While Mr Parkinson's name was not mentioned in Sunday's press release, it referred to a previous release which had.

Mr Parkinson's niece, Laura McQuillan, tweeted on Sunday: "Thanks everyone for helping search for my uncle. @nswpolice believe they have found his body. They posted on Facebook, but didn't call us".

While police confirmed on Monday next of kin had been notified, Ms McQuillan told AAP the police visited Mr Parkinson's immediate family after they had already seen the Facebook post.

She said the family was devastated at the news.

Mr Parkinson's death is not being treated as suspicious.