By JOHN ANDREWS
Three New Zealand crime investigators are helping Cook Islands police to try to solve Rarotonga's first homicide in eight years.
The 31-year-old victim, Tuakana Tereau Teama, was found bludgeoned to death on a sofa in her home at Tupapa, a village near the capital of Avarua.
Police have recovered a bloodstained rock near Miss Teama's beachside house which they believe was used to bash her, possibly as she lay watching television on Saturday night.
They believe drops of blood on the floor were from the victim.
Cuts on her fingers make police think Miss Teama may have tried to defend herself from her killer's onslaught.
Deputy Police Commissioner Maara Tetava said the body of Miss Teama, the mother of a young girl and partner of a police sergeant based on the island of Atiu, was found by a relative on Sunday morning.
The discovery led to one of the biggest investigations ever undertaken by Cook Islands police. A team of 45 officers took part in the initial scene search.
Following a request for assistance, three experts from New Zealand - a crime analyst, a scene-of-crime officer and a forensic scientist - flew to Rarotonga yesterday.
"We treat cases like this very seriously and we would like to make sure we do the job thoroughly," said Mr Tetava.
Police were unsure of the killer's initial motives. Inquiries indicated valuable items in Miss Teama's house had not been stolen.
He said Miss Teama was high regarded in the Cook Islands community, particularly for her activities among youth and church groups.
NZ experts fly to Cook Islands murder scene
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