Bodies of two women found buried under Christchurch house

Photo / Christchurch Star

Christchurch police today confirmed they have found the bodies of two women buried under a house in the suburb of Wainoni.

Detective Inspector Tom Fitgerald told a media conference in the city this afternoon that one of the bodies is that of the wife of the 32-year-old man who has been charged with her murder.

The other body is believed to be that of missing Christchurch woman Tisha Lowry, who went missing a year ago.

Mr Fitzgerald said the identification of the two bodies was still underway, and was likely to take several days.

"I have good reason to believe the second body may be Ms Lowry's, but we can't confirm that until we complete our investigation", he said.

He said he had been in contact with Ms Lowry's family today. She lived two doors down from the house at the centre of the investigation.

Mr Fitzgerald said the accused was spoken to during the early stages of the Lowry inquiry, but at the time he denied knowing her.

The accused had reported his wife missing on Monday morning. The scene examination was started last night.

Mr Fitzgerald said there was 'some commotion' at the house on Sunday morning. The pair had children but the children were not at the house at the time.

The man charged has been remanded in custody until September 11 and his name and that of his alleged victim were suppressed.

Duty solicitor Jared Bell told Judge John Bisphan police sought suppression of the names.

The judge granted the order but said the suppression would have to be fully argued when the case came back before the court.

Mr Bell told the court the man had three children, aged nine and under, and there were various family members who had not yet been told of events.

There were also mental health issues, he said.

Neighbour Jason Hall lives in between Ms Lowry's house and the property being searched.

He said of the couple who lived in the searched house: "I never once heard them arguing.

"They were a quiet couple and kept to themselves. We'd talk over the fence, just the sort of stuff like 'How's going?"."

In another twist, it is understood police are looking at any potential links with the unsolved murder of Christchurch sex worker Mellory Manning, killed about three months after Ms Lowry disappeared.

She was last seen in the central city late on December 19 last year. It is believed she was murdered by a potential client and her mutilated body was driven to the Avon River where it was dumped.

Mr Fitzgerald said, however, any connection with the Mellory Manning case would be "pure speculation".

- additional reporting NZPA, agencies