Tourist murder hunt police to search lake

Police divers will search a lake near Eltham in Taranaki today after receiving new clues in the Birgit Brauer murder case.

Having finished their search of the Ohau River near Levin - where a 4WD similar to the one sought in connection with the murder was found last week - police are now turning their attention back to the Taranaki area.

Detective Senior Sergeant Grant Coward said police would focus on an area in and round Lake Rotokare, a popular picnic reserve near Eltham.

"We have information that the vehicle of interest to us has been sighted near the lake," Mr Coward said.

That vehicle, a dark Toyota Hilux, was seen at Lake Rotokare on September 23, three days after Ms Brauer's stabbed and beaten body was discovered at Lucys Gully near New Plymouth.

Mr Coward said a police dive team would search the lake, which takes just over an hour to walk round, and a search-and-rescue team would scour the surrounding native bush.

Police have not indicated what they are looking for but it may be the murder weapon or Ms Brauer's personal belongings, including two backpacks.

They will also be looking for anyone who saw the 4WD the 28-year-old German backpacker was last seen getting into.

Mr Coward has repeatedly said finding the 4WD would be the key to finding Ms Brauer's killer.

A 4WD was found dumped in the Ohau River on Wednesday. Forensic experts have spent several days testing the vehicle while police have searched the riverbed and surrounding land.

They will not say if any evidence has been found, despite taking several items away for testing.

Mr Coward will not link the Ohau 4WD to the murder until the results of forensic tests come back.

"I anticipate the results ... on this vehicle will be received this week. Until we have something definite that links the Toyota Hilux to the murder we will continue to follow up on the sizeable amount of detailed information that is coming freely from the public."

If the Ohau 4WD is the one police are seeking they already have the name of the man who allegedly stole it in August.

"We are actively seeking the person we believe stole the vehicle but to date he has not been located or spoken to," Mr Coward said.

The Lake Rotokare sighting of a 4WD is about 15 to 20km away from the last confirmed sighting at a reserve in Cardiff, near Stratford. Cardiff is about 70km from Lucy's Gully.

Police would like to hear from anyone who saw a two-door mid- to late-1980s Toyota Hilux in the rural Eltham, Hawera or South Taranaki area in the past few weeks.

* Anyone with information should phone 0800 CRIMESTOP or 0800 274-637.