A missing black cellphone belonging to a woman found dead beneath a Whangarei bridge may hold key evidence and help police piece together the events leading up to her death.
The body of the 21-year-old woman, a mother of two, was discovered by police on the banks of the Waiarohia stream on Tarewa Road about 4am on Friday. A 29-year-old Northland man has been charged with murder and will appear again in the Whangarei District Court today after a brief appearance on Saturday.
Both the accused and the dead woman could not be named because of a suppression order made in court.
As a team of 27 police staff continued their investigation a bouquet, featuring a sunflower, was placed on the bridge just metres above where the woman was found.
A cordon, which was put up on Friday around the bridge, was removed about 11am yesterday.
Head of the investigation Detective Senior Sergeant Dene Begbie said police were searching for a black LG A180 model mobile cellphone that belonged to the woman.
She is believed to have had the cellphone with her before her death.
"We are looking for some help from the public to find this phone.
"If anyone has seen or found a phone like this, most likely in the central city area, we are keen to hear from them," Mr Begbie said.
"We want to have as much information as we can and this phone is an important part of that."
Police carried out an extensive search along the tidal stream where the body was found and were satisfied it was not there.
However, they had found other items belonging to the victim.
Mr Begbie said appeals through media for people to come forward with information had been successful.
But as the investigation had progressed they specifically wanted to hear from motorists and pedestrians who had been in the Tarewa Rd area, including the nearby service station, at 2am on Friday.
"We want to speak to anyone who was there regardless of whether they have seen anything or not," Mr Begbie said.
"We just want to know who was there and confirm the timing of their movement as we piece together the movements of the victim."
Two other homes in Whangarei, including one in Raumanga, had been searched in relation to the death.
Mr Begbie hoped to be able to release the woman's name after today's court appearance by the accused.
Police in Whangarei had earlier said the man knew the victim, but their exact relationship was not known.
