The inquiry team for the Lisa Blakie homicide will start door knocking in the high country today.
A team will start at Castle Hill this afternoon trying to locate and inspect all buildings and properties between Porter
River towards Arthur Pass.
Detective Sergeant Rex Barnett says where there is no one living, and that will be a large proportion as most are
holiday homes, they will try to contact owners and gain access where they think necessary. Tramping huts and shelters
will also be included.
Tomorrow a small group of detectives, together with traffic police, will monitor and speak to all drivers travelling
over the Porter River Bridge during the middle of the day. It is hoped they can jog the memory of regular drivers as to
what they may have seen.
Detective Inspector Rob Pope says that in an initiative to contact people on the west coast and try to find out if Lisa
did make it over there, residents will be mail dropped a circular letter. This will have photos of Lisa, her dog, the
dress she wore, and of a similar kit bag to the one she was believed to have been carrying.
“It’s just another move to try and contact all people living there. We have to remember that not everyone reads a paper,
listens to the radio or watches television. It is important to reach everyone to find out if Lisa ever arrived there.”
Posters will be distributed to businesses for public notice.
Other detectives are following up information from the public today. Over twenty calls have been made regarding cars
fitting the description of a brown/beige coloured, square shaped, four door saloon. Some are very tentative but all will
be followed up.
Rob Pope, Detective Inspector