A series of incidents reported by members of the public are being investigated and Police are keen to hear from anyone who may have been in the vicinity of Aramoho, Somme Parade and Pitt Street said officer in charge of Operation Somme, Detective Senior Sergeant Mike Oxnam.
Starting at 11 p.m. this evening, going through to 11 a.m. on Friday, 14 January 2005, exactly a week since Tania’s murder, a Police team will be canvassing the areas of interest in Wanganui.
"If you were in Wanganui at these times on Friday, 7 January 2005, please approach Police Officers and talk to them. We want to know what you know," said Mr Oxnam.
Among the information flowing into the Operation Somme base is a resident who was awoken twice, once after 1 a.m. and then again later in the morning, by the sounds of a woman and male talking loudly. He is unable to say if they were arguing.
"We are very interested in identifying those people and it may be two different sets of people.
"We have two other sightings that we are very interested in. The first is between 4.30 a.m. and 5 a.m. The witness observed as what he describes a young woman in the area of Aramoho, which is a short distance from the scene. He thinks she was carrying a bottle in her hand."
A short distance from her was a male, described as wearing white shirt and black trousers.
The same witness also observed a white car parked near the palm trees between the scene and Dublin Street roundabout. There is a possibility that there were people with this vehicle.
Another witness saw a woman walking alone on Somme Parade in the immediate vicinity of the Pitt Street intersection. This witness describes her as appearing unsteady on her feet.
The Operation Somme enquiry team needs to speak to all persons who were in the Aramoho, Somme Parade, Pitt Street area after 2.30 a.m. on Friday, 7 January 2005.
If the woman described above is not Tania, we need to talk to the above people.
If any person has any knowledge of the white car described above, you are urged to contact the enquiry team.
Tania’s funeral will be held at the Wanganui Central Baptist Church at 1.30pm today.