Investigation into academic's murder turns to NZ

The investigation into the murder of scientist Dr Barbara Johnston in Britain is spreading to New Zealand.

British police running up against a deadline on how long they can hold and question a suspect have appealed to New Zealanders to email them about the Auckland medical researcher, who was murdered in Oxford last week.

The police may have to release their suspect if they have not charged him by 11pm (NZ time), and have asked New Zealanders who knew Barbara Madeline Johnston to contact them at a special email address (link at foot of page).

Dr Johnston, 55, was found in her north Oxford flat in the early hours of last Thursday after her parents were unable to contact her and called police.

Detectives said the information they had about Dr Johnston was "limited" because she lived in New Zealand for 23 years before returning to Oxford last August.

A 42-year-old man from Faringdon, about half an hour's travel from Oxford, is still being questioned by detectives. Police applied to magistrates for a further 24 hours to question the man, who was arrested on Saturday, and have until 11 o'clock tonight to charge or release him.

Under British rules, a suspect can be held at a police station for 24 hours without being charged, although this can be extended to a maximum of 96 hours with the authority of a magistrate.

Thames Valley police said they needed to build up as much information about Dr Johnston as possible and that some of her New Zealand acquaintances might not be aware of what had happened.

Acting Detective Superintendent Steve Tolmie said: "We need to build up as much information on who Dr Johnston was, what she did and where she lived and worked.

"'At present, the information we have on her and her movements is limited and we are keen to hear from anyone who can help with this."

Dr Johnston had only lived in the flat in which she was murdered since September after returning from Auckland. Police believe that she was unemployed and may have returned to England because her work had dried up in New Zealand and because her father's health was failing.

She wanted to be closer to her elderly parents, who are based in the West Midlands and have said they are devastated.

Post-mortem tests showed the medical researcher died of multiple stab wounds and asphyxia but police said there was no obvious motive for her death.

The door to her flat was not forced and police are investigating the possibility that she let in her attacker.

The murder weapon -- believed to be a single-bladed knife -- has not yet been found.

For much of her time in Auckland, Dr Johnston conducted research into fetal brain development at Auckland University's Liggins Institute. She was an expert in cot death and premature babies.

Liggins Institute director Peter Gluckman yesterday said that she was a loner, obsessed with her work.

"She didn't have a lot of friends," he said. "She had a lot of colleagues, but to my knowledge she didn't have a lot of friends."

* Special email address (link below):
drjohnstonmurderappeal@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk

- NZPA