Police seek dead tourist's bags

A young woman hitchhiker found dead alongside a popular Taranaki bush walkway was the victim of a nasty and vicious attack, police say. She is thought to be German.

The body of the woman, believed to in her mid-20s, was found by a jogger about 5pm on Tuesday near Lucys Gully, 17km southwest of New Plymouth.

Police and ESR scientists examined the scene yesterday.

The head of New Plymouth CIB, Detective Senior Sergeant Grant Coward, said the cause of death was not known but it appeared the woman was stabbed.

Mr Coward said he was not sure if the woman was stabbed more then once or if she had been sexually assaulted.

"It appears it was a nasty, vicious attack," he said.

A post mortem examination would be done today.

"The police have some knowledge of who she is, although we are unable to confirm her identity at this point. We believe she could be German," Mr Coward said.

Police would contact the Immigration Service.

The woman's body was found just off the track, where it remained yesterday.

Police believe the woman left Wanganui, where she had been staying, hitchhiking to New Plymouth about 8.30am on Tuesday, and are appealing for sightings of her.

The victim was of slight build, about 1.75m tall with shoulder-length black hair that may have been tied back and she could have been wearing glasses. The woman was wearing blue denim jeans, a green jersey or top and possibly a windbreaker jacket.

She was wearing tramping boots and had large and small dark-coloured backpacks with her.

Both were missing and police had not found any weapon. A team of 30 police spent the day scouring the area.

"We are most interested in sightings of her on SH3, SH45 and in particular Lucys Gully.

"She was given a ride to Waitotara and was last seen there at 9.15am. To date that is the last known and confirmed sighting of her until she was found at Lucys Gully," Mr Howard said.

"If anyone has had any dealings with someone who spoke with a foreign tongue, a visitor to this area, we would very much like to talk to them."

New Plymouth police had had a lot of help from Wanganui detectives, who had spoken to the driver who picked up the woman, he said.

Oakura businessman John Sole, who lives right next to Lucys Gully on the western side, said he had been shattered to hear of the murder.

He was out on Tuesday night but noticed the police "booze bus" at the entrance to the tourist spot about 9.45 when returning home.

"We thought the boy racers were up in Lucys Gully again and they were waiting for them to come down," Mr Sole said.

The first Mr Sole heard of the body was on the morning news.

"It's shattering for the people who live around to think something funny may have gone on up there."

Lara Quinn, who shares a driveway with the walking track, said she was shocked a body had been found there.

"There are some very shady people who use the area," she said.

Boy racers did burnouts, vandals tried to burn rubbish bins and picnic tables, and used condoms were often found in the area, she said.

"There are some pretty trashy people, I wouldn't go up there by myself," said Mrs Quinn, who walks her rottweiler in the area.

Alan Rivett, owner of Wave Haven Backpackers, Surf Highway 45, opposite the entrance to Lucys Gully, said police had visited him yesterday morning.

Only two tourists were staying at the backpackers and both had been accounted for.

Mr Rivett said he was a bit surprised to hear what had happened.

"It is not good, it is not good for the industry at all, that sort of thing. It doesn't help with the reputation of the country in general."

- NZPA