Lisa Blakie Inquiry - Background Inquiries

Lisa Blakie Inquiry

Detective Inspector Rob POPE, heading the Lisa Blakie homicide team, says that inquiries are looking into the background of Lisa’s life.

Inquiries into Lisa’s background so far have revealed that Lisa has recently had connections with the massage parlour scene in Queenstown.

“She has also had ongoing connections, and did know people involved in the gang scene in Timaru,” says Mr POPE. “However it’s too early for us to draw any conclusions as to who is responsible for her death. In any case we look at all aspects of a person’s background for anything which may lead us to her killer(s).”

Mr POPE says that the team is now extending their inquiries to Queenstown and Greymouth, (Lisa enrolled at Polytech there last year), and will continue in Timaru and Christchurch.

“As a result of the information received from the public, we have to expand the team and as of today the staff numbers will increase to over thirty, however these will fluctuate according to the demands of the inquiry, court commitments etc.”

The Inquiry team will continue to concentrate on Lisa’s movements from the last confirmed sighting of her at the Shell Yaldhurst Service Station, at 11.40 am on Wednesday 2 February and when her body was found in the Porter River last Sunday, 6 February.

When she was found she was wearing a distinctive, grape purple, cotton dress. It was long with a back split, sleeveless, and had a low neck. People remember it because of its bright colour.

After discussion with her family it is clear that several of Lisa’s possessions are still missing. They are a cream or white medium sized suitcase with extendable hinges, and a green army kit bag. It’s believed she had clothes and personal belongings in them. Her green makeup case and a maroon coloured velvet zip case are also missing. These may have been dumped and the inquiry team would like anyone who finds anything like this, or loose clothing, to contact them.

There have been several sightings of young brindle coloured dogs with similar descriptions to Kaos, Lisa’s four month old puppy, and Detective POPE says he is keen to find out more about what may have happened the dog.

“There have been a number of sightings of a brindle dog running free in the Yaldhurst/ Springfield area. A number of dogs are brindle but Kaos has a white blaze on his front which is quite distinctive.”

Over the next few days police will be canvassing properties in the Darfield, Springfield, and Castle Hill areas.

The team has finished with scene at Porters River but rubbish tin searches along the road to the coast will continue.

“Despite Lisa being dropped off by taxi at the Yaldhurst intersection which is on the main road to the West coast from Christchurch, we cannot say if she was intending to hitch hike or where she was wanting to go. She may have arranged to meet someone she knew there, there are many possibilities. The inquiry is too early to be conclusive about what she intended to do.”

Detective Inspector Rob POPE

Sketches of Lisa’s tattoos; (attached)

The bull, (her birth sign,) on the nape of her neck. This is quite distinctive and could be seen as her hair was slightly shorter than in the photo.

The anklet design, with a key of life, on her right ankle would also be clearly seen.

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