Body found by workshop

By SCOTT INGLIS

Dental records will be used today to establish whether a decomposing body found behind an industrial workshop is that of missing Auckland woman Marie Jamieson.

The body was found between a steep, grassy bank and the concrete block wall of a West Auckland engineering workshop just after 8 am yesterday. It appeared to have been there for more than a week.

Henderson homicide detectives are working with the Avondale police, who were investigating Miss Jamieson's disappearance.

The 23-year-old unemployed hairdresser vanished on Saturday night, February 10, after drinks out with friends.

Her worried family and friends have spent the past week scouring Auckland for her, praying that she would be found alive.

Those hopes appear to have been dashed after the branch manager of Perry Engineering, Tony Jack, arrived at work at 22 Mihini Rd, Ranui, yesterday and noticed a smell.

About 8.15 am he found a woman's body behind his workshop. Beyond the bank behind the workshop is a golf driving range.

Detectives described the find as gruesome, and spent yesterday at the scene with forensic experts before removing the body for an autopsy.

The officer leading the murder inquiry, Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Franklin, said last night that it was unlikely he would reveal the autopsy results but he expected the body to be formally identified using dental records.

Clothes similar to those worn by Miss Jamieson were found at the scene.

Miss Jamieson's family, including parents Gerry and Yvonne, were yesterday being comforted by Victim Support as they waited for the body to be identified.

They were too upset to talk, but close family friend Chris Reeve appealed for anyone who knew anything to tell the police.

"Our focus now is on the grief ... We don't want it to happen to anyone else's daughter," he told the Herald."It's just such a dreadful thing if it's happened - which seems 90 per cent sure that it has."

On the night she vanished, Miss Jamieson went to the Tonic Bar, where she was a regular, on the corner of Symonds St and Newton Rd.

She had $10 when she said goodbye to a friend on the corner of Symonds St and New North Rd.

She then went to Hentys Wines and Spirits on New North Rd, where she bought a bottle of the vodka mix KGB about 8.50 pm. Times shown on security camera footage were not adjusted for daylight saving.

She was supposed to have caught a bus on New North Rd to her Methuen Rd home in Avondale.

Detectives said they were trying to establish whether she got on a bus as the body was found 15km from her home.

It is understood a KGB bottle was found on a bus on that route, but police could not confirm that last night. Detectives are appealing for public help to trace Miss Jamieson's last movements.

Her bank accounts have not been touched.

She was wearing a red T-shirt with black trim around short sleeves, a black asymmetrical skirt and sandals, and was carrying a large pale-coloured shoulder bag. Her shoulder-length hair was dyed jet-black and she had a rose tattoo near her navel.

The Herald understands that Miss Jamieson last worked at Stephen Marr hair design in Ponsonby, but left to take some time out.