"Who wants to be out in the dark?" the woman said.
Said another woman: "People have become very scared."
Police have been tight-lipped on the progress of the investigation in the past month, but yesterday said they had been focusing on examining forensic evidence.
"We remain very confident that we're going to make an arrest," acting inquiry head Inspector Rob Jones said.
The last time police spoke publicly about the murder was when they appealed for sightings of a distinctive retro-style cruiser bicycle seen in the area where Ms Aim was attacked in the early hours of January 17.
The bike was found soon afterwards and sent for forensic testing, but Mr Jones would not say what the tests had revealed, or comment further on the investigation.
Taupo's acting police chief, Sergeant James McGrogan, said it was understandable people had elevated concerns about violence on the streets, and until someone was charged, police could not really allay those fears.
"But it doesn't mean that we've got a violent community," he said. "It was a one-off event that is very unfortunate."
But rising concern about violence after Ms Aim's death has led to the establishment of several new neighbourhood support groups in Taupo.
Neighbours who did not know each other before are now shaking hands at meetings, and a larger public gathering is planned for March 31 to discuss ways to combat violence in the town.
"Places like Taupo are meant to be safe," said veteran helicopter pilot John Funnell, one of several high-profile people who will speak at the meeting.
He said that as a tourist mecca, Taupo needed to take a zero-tolerance approach to violence.
Ms Aim was a member of the town's backpacker community and had been living and working in Taupo for about two months when she was killed.
Backpackers' hostels said the murder had not affected business, but had affected tourist morale.
Go Global Central Backpackers duty manager Barnaby Howard said he now gets questions about whether it is safe to walk the streets at night.
"Backpackers talk, and I guess it's bad for the reputation of New Zealand."
But most people spoken to were confident police would make an arrest, even if it took some time.
"They'll get the person," said Christine Robb, Ms Aim's boss at the Lava Glass Blowing Studio. "I'd rather they did it well and the person who did it was charged properly."
Two months on from the murder, Ms Robb said Ms Aim was still sorely missed.
"She was a very bubbly person and I certainly miss her organisational skills. Her rapport with clients was also outstanding."
The studio was planning an exhibition to remember Ms Aim, who was also an artist, on her birthday, August 18.
