KEY POINTS:
The level of violence involved in the murder of Christchurch prostitute Ngatai Lynette Manning has shocked police.
Ms Manning, 27, also known as Mellory, was found by a kayaker in the Avon River, near Dallington Terrace, east of the city centre, about 6.50am on Friday.
Police were today following up sightings of a vehicle that Ms Manning got into at around 10.30pm the previous night, Detective Inspector Greg Williams said.
A second knife had been found, about 150 metres from where her body was found, but it was not known yet whether this was used in the attack, Radio New Zealand reported.
Yesterday a pocket knife with a small blade was found close to where Ms Manning's body was found.
Mr Williams said Ms Manning was subjected to a violent attack and there were signs she struggled .
"Even with 29 years in the police I was shocked at the level of violence that Mellory has been subjected to and I implore anyone who might be protecting this person, or people, or has knowledge about their involvement, to come forward," he said.
It was likely that she was strangled and this would have most likely rendered her unconscious.
"Close to this happening she has sustained a number of significant blows to her head resulting in severe head injuries."
There was expected to have been "significant blood loss at the time of this injury", Mr Williams said.
"From these wounds and marks on her legs it is believed that the weapon used is similar to a piece of reinforcing steel in size," he said.
When she was near death, Ms Manning was stabbed several times in her chest.
The pathologist has described the weapon as being at least 160mm long and about 20mm wide.
She went into the water quickly after the attack.
Ms Manning's watch stopped at 10.59 and an ex amination of the watch by a jeweller indicated that it was in good working order.
A test revealed that it would have stopped when it came in contact with water.
"I stress to the public that if they have any information about activities they may have seen between 10.30pm and 6.55am Friday morning, when Mellory's body was found, then they should contact us immediately," Mr Williams said.
- NZPA
