Police are focusing on 10 names in their bid to solve the Kirsty Bentley murder cold case. Out of about 80 pieces of information, police received after a $100,000 reward was posted in late July, there were 10 people being prioritised for further investigation, Detective inspector Greg Murton said.
He noted they had some "interesting links and connections".
"It's a range. They're people who have been mentioned before or people who lived around the area that were not looked at."
There were also 14 nominations that required no further action, and about 40 that required tidying up.
The reward was for any information or evidence leading to the identification and conviction of the person or people responsible for the Ashburton teen's death.
Murton said there was nothing obvious yet and it was too early to tell whether the nominations would yield anything concrete.
The Ashburton 15-year-old was last seen alive on the afternoon of December 31, 1998, when she left home to walk her labrador cross, Abby.
Jill and Sid Bentley, parents of murdered Kirsty Bentley, at home in Ashburton. Also picture is their dog Abby, who was with Kirsty when she disappeared. Photo / John McCombe
Abby was found the next day tied to a tree near the Ashburton River along with a pair of Kirsty's underwear and boxer shorts.
