Police search home of ex-prisoner found dead by river

Police are searching the home of an ex-prisoner, whose body was found on the banks of Christchurch's Waimakariri River on Wednesday morning.

Police are treating the death as "suspicious".

The body of Phillip John Mullaly, 36, also known as Phillip John Grimwood, was discovered by a female whitebaiter on the south side of the river about 1km from the old Waimakariri bridge, at 8am.

Detective senior sergeant Grant Wormald of Christchurch police said staff were still working at the Waimakariri River scene and at the victim's home address.

"We really want to speak to any one who was in the river area on the morning of August 31, particularly between midnight and 8am. They may have walking or white baiting," he said.

"Some white baiters start at 4am I believe. This is the time frame we are looking at."

A police spokeswoman said investigators were not prepared to speculate how Mr Mullaly's body came to be on the riverbank, nor whether anyone was being sought in connection with the death.

- NZPA