Christchurch bodies may link to unsolved cases

Police cover windows of the house in Christchurch where the bodies were found. Photo / Simon Baker

Police will look at whether there are links to any other unsolved cases after finding two bodies buried under a Christchurch house.

One of the bodies is the wife of a man living at the house, who is now charged with her murder.

The other is believed to be that of Tisha Lowry, who lived only two doors down from the house and disappeared almost a year ago.

A 32-year-old man appeared in the Christchurch District Court yesterday to face the murder charge and his name, and that of his wife, were suppressed. His lawyer, Jared Bell, said there were mental health issues to be considered.

Police spoke to the murder accused during the inquiry into the disappearance of Ms Lowry, but say he was one of hundreds questioned.

Detective Inspector Tom Fitzgerald said there was nothing to suggest any further bodies were buried under the house.

But, asked if police would be speaking to the murder accused about any other unsolved crimes or missing persons in Christchurch, Mr Fitzgerald said: "Very early days. But again, we will carry on with those investigations".

It had been reported that police investigating the discovery of the two bodies were also looking at any links with the unsolved murder of Christchurch sex worker Mellory Manning, killed about three months after Ms Lowry disappeared. Mr Fitzgerald said this was speculation.

Ms Lowry, 28, was last seen as she walked home from a bar on September 25 last year. Mr Fitzgerald said the second body had not been identified as Ms Lowry, but said: "It would be silly not to draw a connection. I have got reason to believe it may be related, but again we can't confirm that".

It would take days, rather than hours, to formally identify the bodies which were "well covered".

The Herald spoke to Tisha Lowry's mother, Tanya Lowry, earlier this year, and she said she often found herself breaking down in tears over the loss of her daughter.

"You have still got to do your day-to-day stuff, but every day since she has gone missing it has definitely never been the same."

It is the second time Tanya Lowry has lost a close relative to a violent crime - her sister, Debbie Paul, was stabbed to death in a Christchurch hotel in 1985.

Mr Fitzgerald said the murder-accused reported his wife missing on Sunday, and police began a search at his property on Thursday evening after talking to him. Police believe there may have been some commotion on Sunday morning at the house. No items relating to Ms Lowry had been found.

Jason Hall lives next door to where the bodies were found, and said he never heard the couple argue.

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

Police said Ms Lowry's family were "trying to cope with what is now confirming that their family has suffered some horrific crime against one of their own".

It is understood the man charged with murder has three children, but they were not living at the house at the time of the alleged killing.

- additional reporting: Christchurch Star