Operation Daleyza – Homicide Investigation Launched Into Mt Albert Death (+ CCTV Images)
Detective Inspector Aaron Pascoe, Auckland City CIB:
Police have launched a homicide investigation
into the death of a woman who
was located deceased
in Mt Albert yesterday.
At around 4.30pm yesterday the
body of a female was located in an area of
bush off
to the side of a walkway between Grande Avenue and Summit
Drive.
A
post mortem is taking place today and formal identification
is yet to be
completed, however Police believe the
deceased is 27-year-old Lena Zhang,
also known as
Lena Zhang Harrap, who was reported missing yesterday
after
leaving her Mt Albert home.
Lena left
her address on Jersey Ave in Mt Albert at around 6.30am to
go for
her regular walk to Ōwairaka
Domain.
Police are appealing for any sightings of Lena
yesterday morning between
6.30am and 7.30am during
her walk.
Lena
is around 130cms and has Down Syndrome and would have been
seen walking
at a slow pace. She was wearing a
long-sleeved purple top and dark
coloured
pants.
Enquiries indicate the likely
route she has walked is from Jersey Avenue
and
along Richardson Road, before turning up Grande
Avenue where she is sighted
on CCTV at around
7.30am.
The Operation Daleyza investigation team has
been carrying out a number of
enquiries in relation
to the death including a scene examination, an
area
canvass and CCTV enquiries.
Our
investigation has already identified and spoken with people
who saw Lena
during her walk yesterday
morning.
As a result of CCTV enquiries Police are
releasing an image of a person of
interest to the
investigation.
This male, who is seen wearing a blue
jumper, was captured on CCTV walking
along Grande
Ave shortly after 7.30am. He is described as
dark-skinned,
balding hair, a distinctive mark on
his forehead and was wearing a mask.
Police
believe this person can assist our investigation and we are
appealing
to the public for information relating to
this person’s identity so we can
locate and speak
with them.
Police are appealing to anyone who saw Lena
or the individual pictured
walking in Mt Albert
yesterday morning to contact the investigation
team.
“We also want to hear from any residents who
live along any of the above
streets, including
Summit Drive, who have CCTV cameras that may have
captured
Lena or this male in a blue jumper walking
past their property.”
Anyone with CCTV is urged to
contact the Operation Daleyza investigation team
by
phoning 0800 325 399 (0800 DALEYZA). You can also contact
Crimestoppers
anonymously on 0800 555
111.
Police are working closely with and supporting
Lena’s family who are
understandably devastated
by this news and they are being provided
with
Victim Support.
Lena’s family have
requested privacy and ask for media not to contact
them
at this extremely difficult time.
“We
know the news about this homicide investigation will be
distressing to
the public and to the local
community in particular and we want to
reassure
them that Police have a large
investigation team working hard to identify
and
locate anyone involved in Lena’s
death.
The local public will see an increased Police
presence in the Mt Albert area,
and we will be
carrying out additional reassurance patrols and area
enquiries
as we speak to local residents.
The
walkway between Grande Avenue and Summit Drive remains
closed at this
time.
“Anyone who saw any
suspicious activity in the area around Grande
Ave,
Summit Drive or the Ōwairaka Domain yesterday
morning is asked to contact
Police on 0800 325 399
(0800
DALEYZA).