Criminal profilers called in for murder inquiry

Members of the police criminal profiling team were today called in to help in the hunt for the killer of an Auckland solo mother.

The body of Katrina Jefferies, 22, was found by passers-by in Waikowhai Park in Hillsborough on Tuesday morning.

The scene of the discovery, just off Waikowhai Rd, is about a kilometre from where Ms Jefferies lived with her mother and her 20-month-old son in Whitmore Rd.

Detective Senior Sergeant Gerry Whitley said the profiling experts were being consulted to see what they could add to the investigation.

He said it was important to keep all options open when dealing with a "whodunit" homicide.

The Operation Waikowhai team had been encouraged by the number of calls to its phone line -- 0800-924 569 -- which had at times become overloaded.

"We've had more than 50 calls from various members of the public giving all manner of information," Mr Whitley said.

"We have to sort through that to see what relevance it is, if any, to the investigation."

Mr Whitley said police were still keen to hear from anyone who drove along Waikowhai Rd into the park either on Monday night or before 8.30am on Tuesday.

They were also keen to hear about any sightings of Ms Jefferies, any disturbances in the Whitmore Rd area, or reports of vehicles in the park on Monday or Tuesday.

Ms Jefferies was last seen by her mother walking out of their home on Sunday night.

Another resident in the same street has reported hearing suspicious activity in the early hours of Tuesday, but did not see what happened.

- NZPA