Police are trying to establish whether there were more than one person involved in the death of Arran Gairns.
Mr Gairns' body was found in a water run-off area behind a commercial building in Ashburton on Sunday.
Detective Senior Sergeant Marion Neill said Mr Gairns was the subject of an attempted robbery before his death.
"We are still working to establish how many people may have been involved, and what their involvement with Mr Gairns has been."
A 26-year-old Wellington woman appeared in Timaru District Court yesterday facing a charge of assaulting Mr Gairns with the intention to rob him on Saturday.
