Police to interview fire victim's ex in next few days

Jacqueline Blackbourne died in a house fire on Saturday. Photo / Supplied

Police investigating the death of a woman whose body was found in a burning house on Auckland's North Shore at the weekend are hoping to speak to her former boyfriend in the next few days.

Jacqueline Blackbourn, who came to New Zealand from England 20 years ago, suffered a violent death on Saturday, police said.

Her identity was confirmed through dental records.

Steve Ellis, with whom she had recently broken up, was found with burns and wearing only underpants in the backyard of the Glenfield house on Saturday night.

He told neighbours he had been unable to get Ms Blackbourn out of the house. Police are still trying to determine what role her former boyfriend played.

Investigation head Detective Sergeant Kim Libby said police hoped to speak to him in the next couple of days, as he was now out of an induced coma in Auckland's Middlemore Hospital.

"As soon as he's well enough we will be going to see him, possibly in the next day or two," Mr Libby told NZPA.

"We've got a current investigation ongoing and we still need to speak to people.

"We've been door knocking in the area and speaking to neighbours. It's going well and we're going through the necessary procedures," he said.

A scene examination would continue for the next couple of days.

Police earlier said they were not looking for anyone else in connection with the death.

Ms Blackbourn's relatives in the United Kingdom have been informed, but Mr Libby was unsure if anyone was planning on travelling to New Zealand.

"They've had some shocking news, so they'll just be trying to digest what's happened and come up with some plans," he said.

Another former boyfriend of Ms Blackbourn, Karl Hawthorne, told The New Zealand Herald newspaper he saw her about two weeks ago and she did not seem happy after breaking up with Mr Ellis.

He said the pair had moved into the Glenfield house last year.

Mr Hawthorne was yesterday interviewed by police about his relationship with Ms Blackbourn.

- NZPA