One of two women's bodies found under a Christchurch house is undergoing a postmortem examination today, police say.
The second body was not expected to be removed from the Wainoni house where they were discovered on Friday until "very late tomorrow", Detective Inspector Tom Fitzgerald, head of the investigation, said today.
One of the women is believed to be Tisha Lowry, who lived a couple of doors away from the house, and has been missing for almost a year.
The other was thought to be a 35-year-old woman who lived at the house.
Her 32-year-old husband, who reported her missing last weekend, has been charged with her murder. One body was taken from the scene last night. Police have had to dismantle part of the house to reach the second body.
"There is still a detailed scene examination taking place," Mr Fitzgerald said.
Formal identification of the bodies and cause of death may take several days.
Further charges were likely.
The couple had three children, who had been taken into Child Youth and Family care in Taupo, neighbour Shanita Araipu said.
They were both recovering alcoholics and unemployed, she told the Sunday Star Times.
Mr Fitzgerald said police were building a profile of the couple, with a team of 26 officers plus specialist staff and scientists assigned to the investigation.
The accused man appeared in Christchurch District Court on Friday and his name and that of his dead wife were suppressed.
He was remanded in custody without plea to reappear next Friday.
Ms Lowry, 29, was last seen by her grandfather when she waved goodbye to him at the Bower Tavern in suburban New Brighton on September 25 last year.
She had lived two doors down from the house where the bodies were found.
Police spoke with more than 3000 people in their search for Ms Lowry, including the accused, but had no reason to suspect him at that time, Mr Fitzgerald said.
