Police going through tips on slain tourist

Police have received "a lot of information" on sightings of a dark four-wheel drive vehicle linked to the murder of German hitchhiker Birgit Brauer.

The head of New Plymouth CIB, Detective Senior Sergeant Grant Coward, said police were working through the information and were confident of more sightings in the next few days.

Mr Coward repeated calls for the driver of the vehicle, the last person known to have seen her alive, to come forward. The vehicle picked up Ms Brauer in Waitotara about 9.30 am on Tuesday.

A post-mortem examination yesterday revealed the 28-year-old tourist died from massive head injuries and a stab wound to the chest.

Police said there was no evidence of a sexual assault. They were not able to say whether Ms Brauer had been killed where her body was found - in bush at Lucy's Gully in Egmont National Park, 17km southwest of New Plymouth.

Police finished examining that site last night. Mr Coward said they had no suspects and had not found a murder weapon.

There are two routes to the area, along either State Highway 3 via Stratford or the coastal route along State Highway 45. Police have been unable to determine which route Ms Brauer travelled.

Two backpacks, containing a silver digital camera, her passport and wallet, diary, clothing, a stone collection, cellphone, glasses and shoes remain missing.

Ms Brauer arrived in New Zealand on February 17, about a week before her 28th birthday. She worked in Queenstown for six months before travelling to Wellington and then to Wanganui.

In May she turned up at the Deco Backpackers in Queenstown, and stayed there for two months.

"She came about mid- to early May," manager Tony Stenton said. "She showed up on our doorstep all wet. She had been travelling for quite a while overseas. I don't know if she had come from Australia or somewhere else but she basically came to Queenstown to get some work to get enough money to continue travelling around New Zealand."

Mr Stenton said Ms Brauer got a job at a local hotel, Outrigger at the Beacon, where she worked in the housekeeping department.

After leaving Queenstown Ms Brauer went to Stewart Island where she spent some time fishing before heading north.

She spent the past few weeks making her way to Wellington and then on to Wanganui where she was picked up on Tuesday morning and taken to Waitotara.

During her stay in Queenstown Ms Brauer made friends with other backpackers and work colleagues.

"She was probably one of the nicest people I have ever met," Mr Stenton said.

"For two months there was not a harsh word, anything like that. She liked photography, she loved walking, she loved the bush."

As news of a murder spread this week her friends felt slightly concerned but felt the description of the victim did not really match that of Ms Brauer.

However as the days passed a friend who usually spoke regularly with Ms Brauer became concerned as she had not called.

Friends and staff learned the worst on Thursday night when police released Ms Brauer's name.

Yesterday, Mr Stenton said the news had still not really set in at the Deco Backpackers.

"She was friends with everyone here ... there are about 20 people staying here long-term who are quite upset ... honestly I don't think it's sunk in yet."

Mr Stenton said he had spoken with Ms Brauer about hitchhiking. Ms Brauer, like many tourists, thought New Zealand would be a safe place to hitch a ride but he warned her of the dangers.

He said he did not think she had hitchhiked much in her time in New Zealand and was surprised to hear that she had gone from Wanganui to Waitotara on Tuesday morning.

"She was not a stupid girl. I don't think she was hitchhiking, I think she was taken."

additional reporting: NZPA