Woman 'grilled' in Carmen murder investigation

Jo Reid says two detectives questioned her about her relationship with Brad Callaghan. Photo / Supplied

Detectives "grilled" a woman for three hours about her relationship with the estranged partner of murdered Auckland escort Carmen Thomas.

It is now nearly three months since the 32-year-old was seen alive.

Jo Reid, 29, who lives in Tauranga, was contacted by police a couple of weeks ago and two officers were sent down from Auckland last weekend.

"It was quite a horrendous interview, they were really grilling me, asking lots of questions," she told the Weekend Herald. "They obviously got the records from his phone."

Ms Reid said police asked about the missing woman, who has not been seen since June 27.

"They were asking if I knew Carmen, just basically thought maybe I knew something ... If I knew if Brad had any friends outside of Auckland, and really grilling me. I had no idea. I don't know any of his mates outside of Auckland."

Ms Reid said she and Brad Callaghan stopped seeing each other about a year and a half ago - after a seven or eight-month long-distance relationship - but had kept close.

Mr Callaghan repeatedly told her he was single and she supported him, via phone, when Ms Thomas disappeared.

"He was saying he was super-stressed and the media was on his butt," she said.

Ms Reid said she had met and spent time with 5-year-old Jack - of whom Mr Callaghan and Ms Thomas had shared custody.

She has been planning a trip away with her own daughter, Mr Callaghan and Jack.

"We were going to meet up and go away and have a holiday once everything had blown over," Ms Reid said.

Now - having just learned that Mr Callaghan has a pregnant fiancee - she did not know what to believe.

"During the Carmen [disappearance] I was asking how he was and being supportive, really, not thinking he was with somebody else."

Ms Reid bumped into Mr Callaghan in Mt Maunganui a couple of months back and later questioned him about the pregnant blonde he was with.

"I texted him and said, 'Is that your girlfriend?' and he said, 'No, no that's my dad's brother's daughter,' or something."

Police refused to comment on why Ms Reid was interviewed.

Mr Callaghan did not respond to Weekend Herald calls.

No arrests have been made in the Carmen case and comment about police progress has been scarce.

Friends have voiced their frustration on a Facebook page set up since Ms Thomas vanished, but the officer heading the investigation said police were keeping relatives abreast of developments.

Detective Inspector Mark Benefield said police could not control online speculation.

"As we said, police investigating Carmen's disappearance, death and disposal have not made any arrests.

"We do not know where Carmen is or how many people were involved in her disappearance," he said.

Mr Benefield refused to comment on suspects.

Can you help? Call 0800 KEPPEL (0800-537-735), email whereiscarmen@police.govt.nz or call Crime Stoppers on 0800-555-111.