Body-in-bag case: Police need leads

It has been a week since a fisherman found the dead woman in Gulf Harbour

Investigators are hunting for fresh leads into the death of a woman whose body washed into Auckland’s Gulf Harbour, as nearby marina management says it has been unable to help.

It is one week since a retired fisherman discovered the woman’s remains wrapped in plastic in waters near the Gulf Harbour Marina on the Whangaparāoa Peninsula.

The marina’s manager, Murray Dixon, said investigators had not spoken to his team, but he is unable to shed any more light on the mystery. He said the body had been found outside the marina’s property.

Police have confirmed the woman was wearing a singlet and pyjamas, was small-statured and Asian, possibly Chinese. But they have not said who she is.

Many questions are unanswered, including who dumped her body, and why has no one noticed she was missing.

Retiree Paul Middleton found the body on March 12.

He told media he had travelled to Whangaparāoa hoping to reel in kahawai or snapper.

Then he noticed a bag in the water. Eventually hooking and reeling it in, he dragged the bag on to the rocks.

“I took the hook out and thought, ‘Right, let’s see if it’s a bag of rubbish and I need to dump it in a rubbish bin or something’,” he told RNZ.

He struggled through “layer and layer” of plastic to open the bag.

There was “a bit of clothing . . . and then there was this hand sticking out”.

He called 111. Police soon released a statement about Middleton’s discovery.

Four days later police released new details.

“We have established the victim is a female, small in stature, who we believe is to be middle-aged,” acting Detective Inspector Tim Williams said.

He also released photos of clothing worn by the woman, blue pyjama pants with a distinct pattern on them, and a branded singlet.

“We hope that in releasing these images that someone will come forward with information on who this victim might be,” he said.

“She could be somebody’s mother, sister or even grandmother.”

Police have asked anyone with information to call 0800 755 021.