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Police hope to confirm today the identity of a suspect after the savage beating and rape of a young woman in central Dunedin early on Saturday, but will not comment on any link to the murder of Emma Agnew in Christchurch.
CIB head Detective Senior Sergeant Steve McGregor last night said the man, a shaven-headed European in his late 20s or early 30s, was believed to have hitchhiked from Dunedin to Christchurch about 3am, almost immediately after the attack.
He said the public could feel safe and be sure the man would not reoffend.
Police in Christchurch yesterday charged a 35-year-old shaven-headed European man with the murder of deaf Christchurch woman Miss Agnew.
Asked if there was any connection between the two cases police declined to comment.
This afternoon, Mr McGregor renewde his appeal for sightings of the hitchhiker:
"We are still very, very interested in the possibility that our suspect has left Dunedin, hitchhiking somewhere around Dunedin or out on the outskirts of Dunedin, and taken through to Christchurch."
Earlier he told media: "We have followed a positive line of inquiry [about] a suspect. We are working with police from out of town.
"It is difficult to comment further because of the delicate nature of the situation."
Detective Inspector Tom Fitzgerald, in charge of the Agnew case, said today the Dunedin rape "like others around the country" was being looked at to see if there were any similarities.
The Dunedin attack occurred when the 21-year-old student was walking home along George St and Princes St. The offender tried to make small talk with her, then attacked her and dragged her into a Rattray St carpark about 12.30am.
The victim was subjected to a brutal attack lasting more than two hours, during which a nylon rope was held around her neck and she was manually strangled as well.
She was left with serious injuries to her face and body.
Mr McGregor said after media reports a witness came forward to help police further their inquiry.
