A body believed to be missing British tourist Grace Millane has been found by police in the Waitakere Ranges today.
Sophie Elliott's mother Lesley has joined the outcry of voices aghast at the needless killing of a British backpacker.
Kiwis and travellers alike have hit social media saddened and now angry that Grace Millane's life was suddenly taken while on a night out in Auckland last weekend.
Elliott, the mother of Sophie Elliott who was stabbed to death by crazed boyfriend Weatherston in their Dunedin home agreed, saying "why shouldn't they be able to be free to do what they want?"
Grace Millane's father, David, at a press conference on Friday. Photo / Doug Sherring
She added it was the same argument around what women wore when they went out - they should be able to wear what they want without men thinking they're being provocative.
Elliott said she felt for Millane's parents, both her father, David, in New Zealand, and her mother and brother who remain in the UK.
"I just feel absolutely devastated for the family because I know how they are feeling. She came over here a beautiful, bright, bubbly young lady who's come to travel the world and this is what happens."
She said it would be some cold comfort for the family to be able to have her body back.
"I think the worst thing must be if you don't."
Lesley Elliott holds a photo of her daughter Sophie Elliott who was murdered by Clayton Weatherston in 2008. Photo / File
Elliott, a nurse, was home when her daughter was brutally murdered by Weatherston; she was downstairs when she heard her scream. "While this might sound a bit ghoulish and horrible, I'm glad I was here for Sophie." She said she knew Sophie died quickly. Elliott is today preparing to pack and move out of the family home where Sophie died, moving to a smaller property with her oldest son, Nick, 44.
Police cordoned off an area of Scenic Dr, Henderson, yesterday after discovering the body of murdered backpacker Grace Millane. Photo / Doug Sherring
Meanwhile, women on social media continue to express their anger and frustration at Millane's death saying they should be safe when enjoying a night out.
One woman, a visitor to New Zealand, said people needed to stop asking why she was going on a date with a stranger and instead be saying "that girls [or anyone for that matter] should be able to do whatever the hell they like".
"Many of us travelled alone and my first night i spent in NZ, was actually spent in Auckland in the base hostel, I also went out that night with people I didn't know... because it's natural when you're travelling to do all of these things. It's how you meet people and how you make friends."
Another wrote how "our country feels such disgrace about what happened to you, and most of us do feel responsible as a Whole country, for not dealing with the violence in our country that has now resulted in a beautiful innocent womans death".
Police want sightings of this 2016 red Toyota Corolla hatchback between 6am and 9.30am Monday, December 3.
Meanwhile, police investigating Millane's death are still calling for anyone who may have seen a 2016 red Toyota Corolla hatchback that was hired from a central Auckland rental car company just before lunchtime last Sunday.
Police want sightings of the car in the West Auckland area between 6am and 9.30am last Monday, December 3.
Officers found Millane's body yesterday in an area of bush and scrub off a layby not far from the Waitakere dam carpark.
