A woman whose body was found in her car boot in East Auckland over the weekend has been formally identified as Elizabeth Zhong, who police believe was killed in her home.
The 55-year-old, who was also known as Zhong Ying, was reported missing from Sunnyhill on Saturday morning, police said.
Her vehicle was found on Roadley Avenue, streets away from her Suzetta Place home. Police discovered her body in the boot of the car several hours later, Counties Manukau CIB Detective Inspector Shaun Vickers said in a briefing this afternoon.
Police are now focusing on the evening of Friday, November 27 and Saturday November 28. Zhong was last seen alive at home on Friday at 4.30pm.
Zhong had been brutally stabbed in her home some time between Friday afternoon, when she was last seen alive at 4.30 pm, and Saturday morning, when she had been reported missing, police said.
A homicide investigation was launched the following day.
“We know from the scene examination that Elizabeth was killed in her house, so we are satisfied that Elizabeth was placed into that vehicle when she was deceased, and that items from the house was placed over her to conceal her,” Vickers said.
"At this time, the operational procedures that were made that day have no impact on the investigation."
Anyone who saw Zhong's black Land Rover vehicle between Friday afternoon and Saturday morning has been urged to contact police.
A neighbour on Monday told RNZ that the businesswoman had been a private person, but they had noticed a man who did not live in the area watching Zhong’s home in the months before her death.
Vickers said a team of detectives are continuing to investigate "a large volume of information that has come in from both members of the family, associates of Elizabeth, the community and the business community," and investigators are "continuing to make progress each day".
Anyone with information that may assist police in their investigation have been urged to contact police on 105, quoting file number 201128/1909, or anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
The scene investigation into Suzetta Place is expected to continue for some time.
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