Police name stabbed woman

A 44-year-old Napier woman died from multiple stab wounds to the chest, say police.

Napier police have released the name of the woman found stabbed to death in her flat on Monday.

Police today named her as 46-year-old Chattrice Carroll-Poipoi. A death notice in Hawke's Bay Today has named her as Iris Iraia (Chattrice) Carroll-Poipoi.

Ms Carroll-Poipoi's body was found in her Cottrell Crescent flat in the Napier suburb of Onekawa by her sister on Monday morning, but it was not known when she died.

Yesterday police began a homicide inquiry after post mortem results revealed she died from stab wounds to her body and she had been assaulted.

Detective Senior Sergeant Bill Gregory of Napier CIB said police had been interviewing numerous people today, including family, friends and neighbours of Ms Carroll-Poipoi.

"There has been a significant amount of work done today and that will continue into the rest of this week."

Police were appealing to residents in the area where Ms Carroll-Poipoi lived to report any suspicious activity they had seen over the weekend.

Mr Gregory said police were particularly keen to hear of any unusual incidents, noises, strange people or vehicles in the area on Saturday evening or Sunday.

She was last seen alive at 7pm on Saturday.

Detectives and forensic experts were at the scene today conducting extensive examinations and were working to establish the woman's movements.

A neighbour told Hawke's Bay Today Ms Carroll-Poipoi was pleasant and easy-going.

- NZPA