The body of a young woman was found on Sunday in a suburb of Auckland. The dead woman is allegedly a British backpacker who has been missing for a week. However, according to police, the formal identification of the dead is still pending, this should be done on Monday. Previously, the police arrested a 26-year-old suspect who allegedly killed the Briton.
According to the police, there is no doubt that the body is 22-year-old Grace Millane. "Based on the evidence we've gathered over the past few days, we assume that it's Grace," investigator Scott Beard said. "It's an unbearable time for the Millane family, and our hearts are with her."
On Saturday, the police announced the arrest of a 26-year-old. He is accused of murdering the backpacker. The detainee was interrogated for hours, police said. On Monday he will be presented to a judge.
Previously, the New Zealand authorities had been looking for Millane for days. Most recently she was seen in a hotel in downtown Auckland with a husband. However, even before the body was found on Sunday, the police assumed that the backpacker was no longer alive.
Millane wanted to travel around the world for a year after she graduated. She stayed in touch with her family daily during her trip - until the evening before her 22nd birthday last weekend.
Her father, who had reported his daughter missing with the New Zealand police, arrived in New Zealand on Friday. At an emotional press conference, he asked for clues to stay with his "fun-loving, outgoing and family-oriented" daughter.