An unnamed New Zealander may hold answers to a police investigation into the death of Sydney model Caroline Byrne nearly nine years ago.
Reports have emerged in the past week that police have recommended murder charges be laid against her former boyfriend Gordon Wood.
At the time he was chauffeur for millionaire
stockbroker Rene Rivkin and has denied any involvement in the death of Ms Byrne, 24.
Her body was found on rocks at a spot known as The Gap in Sydney suburb Watsons Bay on June 7, 1995.
A new police brief, after five years of investigation, is being studied by New South Wales prosecutors.
The brief outlines a New Zealander's involvement with Ms Byrne on the night of her death, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.
An Irish artist, John Doherty, told police that on June 7, from his room in a street overlooking The Gap, he heard an argument in the street.
He saw a woman he identified as Ms Byrne, sitting in the gutter, moaning and in tears. He thought she had been assaulted.
A man of similar appearance to Mr Wood was walking away from her, shouting abuse. A second man was in the shadows.
Police later believed they had identified the second man as a New Zealander who moved among Mr Rivkin's proteges at a Sydney cafe.
Just after he told police he was willing to be interviewed by Sydney detectives, he fled to London.
The newspaper says detectives are believed to know where he is, but are yet to question him.
Police believe Ms Byrne was bashed and thrown from a rock shelf. Her body was found almost 10m out from the cliff face at The Gap and tests are understood to have proved that she could not have landed there had she jumped.
"Their conclusion was that she was most likely thrown, most likely by two men," said the Herald.
Mr Wood was tracked down last week by Australian newspapers at a chalet in the Swiss ski resort Megeve.
He would not talk about Ms Byrne's death.
- NZPA
