Dozens of tips on missing woman after documentary airs

POLICE have received dozens of tips regarding missing Dunedin woman Tuitania Barclay following a documentary programme on the cold case.

The finale of the Cold Case series, aired last month, focused on the disappearance of Ms Barclay, missing since 2002.

Dunedin police reopened the investigation in 2014, led by Detective Senior Sergeant Malcolm Inglis, saying they suspected foul play.

Det Snr Sgt Inglis said yesterday police had received about 40 phone calls plus several more emails in the two weeks since the programme screened.

While the tipoffs contained some useful information, police had not yet received anything of sufficient strength to yield a major breakthrough, he said.

‘‘We’ve had some leads, but nothing overly positive.’’

Det Snr Sgt Inglis said three staff continued to work parttime on the case.

The programme revealed several previously unknown pieces of information regarding the case.

Key revelations included:

Detectives travelled to the United Kingdom to interview Ms Barclay’s expartner Bill Brown

Ain February last year.

Ms Barclay’s two youngest children, also now based in the United Kingdom, are beginning to ask questions about the disappearance of their mother.

Police visited her house with scientists from Environmental Science and Research (ESR) to perform forensic testing, and found cracks and a dent in the wall behind a calendar, and hairs embedded in the wall. However, the hairs were later destroyed.

Ms Barclay’s car was crushed in the months following her disappearance.