Police have a new suspect for the murder of Japanese tourist Kayo Matsuzawa in 1998. Photo / Supplied
Police have a new suspect for the murder of Japanese tourist Kayo Matsuzawa in 1998. Photo / Supplied
More lines of inquiry into the murder of a Japanese tourist are being explored by police after members of the public came forward with new information since a television show about the 20-year-old cold case aired.
Police revealed earlier this week they have a new suspect for themurder of Kayo Matsuzawa, whose decomposing body was found in a service closet of a central Auckland building in 1998.
Auckland police were alerted to the suspect by another policing district, but have remained tight-lipped over the person of interest.
The suspect had, however, used a bank card at a BNZ ATM machine on September 11, 1998, the day Matsuzawa went missing. Her naked body was found 10 days later - just metres away - dumped in an utility cupboard in the Centrecourt Building on Queen St.
A new piece of evidence, DNA from an unknown man located under Matsuzawa's fingernails, has also come to light after further testing.
The entrance to the stairwell where Japanese tourist Kayo Matsuzawa's body was found in an utility cupboard. Photo / NZ Herald
Today, Detective Inspector Scott Beard told the Herald police were also following other lines of inquiry from members of the public since Sunday night's episode of Cold Case on TVNZ.
"Investigations are continuing. However, there is a significant amount of work to do given the historic nature of the case," he said.
"Our team of investigators are working diligently to solve this case in the hope of bringing some sort of closure to Kayo's family."
Matsuzawa first came to New Zealand in 1997 to study English in Christchurch before, on September 11, she travelled to Auckland.
