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Information collected from drinkers at Taupo bars was being analysed by police today as they continue to investigate the brutal slaying of Scottish tourist Karen Aim.
Last night Taupo police questioned patrons at three local bars, Mulligans, The Holy Cow and Element, searching for leads in the case.
Miss Aim was known to have been drinking in the area the night before she was killed.
She was viciously bashed and left for dead as she walked home from the central business district in the early hours of Thursday morning
She died of severe head injuries in Taupo Hospital soon after being found on the junction of Waikato and Motutahae Sts by police.
Although the 26-year-old from the Orkney Islands in Scotland was barely conscious when police found her, she was able to whisper her name to them.
Police yesterday boosted the investigation team to 50 and released the last images of Ms Aim, taken by CCTV cameras in Taupo as she made her way home,
The team is focused on vandals who smashed windows at Taupo-Nui-A-Tia College near where Ms Aim was found.
Detective Senior Sergeant Greg Turner said the windows were most likely smashed with a weapon using considerable force.
Police have not ruled out the possibility that the same weapon may have been used to kill Ms Aim.
Police have eliminated robbery as a motive - Ms Aim still had her cellphone and purse when she was found.
They also said yesterday's post-mortem had shown no signs of sexual assault.
Ms Aim's body is to be flown home this weekend.
Ms Aim was in New Zealand for a second time after falling in love with the country on her first visit in 2006.
She had working at Taupo's Lava Glass Blowing Studio at the time of her death, overseeing the operation of the studio's gallery and cafe.
Police were meeting this morning to decide how to progress the investigation.
Senior Sergeant Tony Jeurissen said members of Operation Waikato - the task force assembled to solve her murder - would meet for a briefing.
Friends yesterday gathered on the street corner where she died to mourn Ms Aim and official memorial service is being planned.
- NZPA
