What police describe as "some kind of ceremony" took place in a Wainuiomata house last week before a 22-year-old woman was found dead.
Today police named the dead woman as Janet Moses and said she may have been dead some hours before they were called.
The woman's family members called police to a Wellington Rd house on Friday night, where officers found her on a bed.
Police are investigating the unexplained death, but say it may be a few days before the circumstances around her death are known.
Detective Senior Sergeant Ross Levy of Lower Hutt CIB, said today that the scene examination at the house was continuing and police were interviewing family and extended family.
"We're sifting through the result of weekend inquiries. We still have a lot of people to speak with as the woman has a large extended family and group of friends who had been in contact with her in recent days."
An autopsy finished on Saturday night showed the woman had no internal injuries, Mr Levy said.
It appeared no weapons were involved in the death, but further medical analysis was needed before the cause of death could be known.
Mr Levy said that "some kind of ceremony" involving a large number of family members had taken place at the house, but he could not elaborate at this stage.
- NZPA