Woman's body found on Banks Peninsula identified

Police have now been able to formally identify the female whose body was located on Western Valley Road, Port Levy earlier today. 

She was 52 year old Tui Rosemary TAIT. She is currently also known as Rose PAYNE. She lived at a property not far from where she was found. 

The occupants from her home address were returned to Christchurch and are fully co-operating with the investigation. There is currently a police guard at her home and we will be examining the property tomorrow. At this stage this is a cautionary measure. 

Currently our last apparent sighting of her was at her home address yesterday Thursday 13 March 2008 around 1 p.m. Indications are that she left the property in her a 1988 Nissan Safari Four-wheel drive, registration number TW5111 coloured Brown but could also be described as Tan. 

We don't know where she has been in between the time that she found on the road and when she was last seen and we haven't been able to find her four wheel drive yet. We believe that she frequents hotels on Banks Peninsula like the Little River Hotel and the Wheatsheaf Tavern. She also visited and stayed with friends quite a lot. 

The next focus for the investigation is establishment of her movements since 1 p.m. yesterday. We have already had a good steady flow of information coming in. We want anyone who knew her or spent time with her yesterday to contact us at the Christchurch Police Station.