40 Police staff are now working on the Mellory Manning homicide investigation and the team has either talked to or received information from around 900 people. A large number of exhibits are also being analysed.
The investigation continues to focus on prostitutes and minders that work around the area of Manchester Street. Most have been cooperative and prepared to talk but it taking time to track down those who will not come forward.
Although the team has spoken to 78 owners of the 1993 XR6 / XR 8 Falcon we have been seeking, the actual car or driver that Mellory was seen getting into has yet to be identified. If you own such a vehicle and live in the Canterbury area or have moved here recently, and the Police have not yet made contact with you, then I ask that you contact us at the homicide base.
19 days on we still do not really have any further sightings of Mellory passed 10.45 pm, we can't say that the Falcon was the vehicle that she left in and we have yet to establish the scene where she was attacked. From the post mortem examination it is clear that Mellory was lying on some hard surface during some aspects of the attack. That could be in the back of a vehicle, on an asphalt or concrete surface or inside a premises.
The male Indian in the white car and the occupants of a dark blue or black four wheel drive seen at the corner of Peterborough Street and Manchester Street at the time Mellory was seen to get into the XR6 or XR8 Falcon have yet to come forward. As Mellory was not seen leaving in the Falcon I can't rule out that another vehicle has picked her up. I stress that the Indian male in the white car picked up another prostitute and was with her when Mellory disappeared.
One of the other questions remaining is where Mellory's body entered the Avon River. We have searched the river from Dallington terrace all the way to Madras Street and have not found anything that would indicate where she went in. This Friday we will get an identical tide flow and will be conducted water flow tests that might give us some indication. There are however a number of variables around this.
Another aspect of the investigation is tracking down all of Mellory's clients. We have recovered a book from her bag indicating this is her client's book. We have spoken to some of these people and will eventually track them all down. If you were a client or you have had recent contact with her when she has been working on the street then I suggest that you contact us first before we come to you. Again we will respect your confidentiality.
I remain pleased with the level of information from the public. People have called about individuals they think might be involved, about weapons they have found, about previous incidents in and around Manchester Street and activities around the area the body was found in the Dallington Terrace/ Avonside Drive area. Murders like this are often solved by a call from someone in the community. I know from the foundation work that we have done on this case that if we got the right information it would all fall together very quickly. I urge the public to keep that information coming.
Greg Williams
Detective Inspector
Note to media: DI Williams will be available for interview until 4.30pm today (Tuesday 6th) Please contact the Police media team at PNHQ to arrange on 04 474 9476.