The shoes and boots of murdered Christchurch prostitute Ngatai Lynette Manning are now part of the focus of a police investigation into her murder.
Police have released photos of the shoes Ms Manning, also known as Mallory, was wearing on the night she died.
The 27-year-old's body
was found in the Avon River on Friday morning. She had suffered extensive injuries and was believed to have been dead before entering the water. Police say they are looking for two weapons.
"We know from the person who picked up Mellory and brought her into town about 10pm that she was wearing her shoes but changed into her boots during the journey," Detective Inspector Greg Williams said.
Neither her shoes nor her boots have been found.
Ms Manning was with a client on Thursday until around 10.20pm and was picked up by her next client at around 10.35pm. Police still want to talk to that person.
The last text message Ms Manning sent was at 10.43pm. Her watch had stopped about 10.59, either am or pm. It had water damage and ESR scientists were trying to determine if it stopped because of contact with water.
A search of the Avon River close to where Ms Manning's body was found also uncovered an "Alltrade" pocket knife with a very small blade.
Meanwhile, the death has sparked calls for a review of the Prostitution Law Reform Act.
Christchurch City councillor Sue Wells said she did not believe the act, introduced in 2003 and which decriminalised prostitution and introduced health and safety provisions, was protecting street workers.
But a Prostitutes' Collective spokeswoman said street workers felt protected by the law. It meant they had the same rights and protections to be out on the street as anyone else and being banned from it would negate the good things about the act.
- NZPA
