Police narrow search for missing Rowena Walker to Christchurch Red Zone

Christchurch Police have identified an area of interest in the ongoing search for missing 39 year old Rowena Walker.

Rowena was last seen on CCTV on Bassett Street on the 14th of August, with an associate.

Police and her family remain desperate to locate her.

Detective Senior Sergeant Jo Carolan says enquiries have now led police to believe Rowena may have been near the Residential Red Zone around the time she went missing.

She says police believe Rowena went missing from Christchurch, with no evidence she left the city before her disappearance.

The day before she vanished, Rowena told her family she was living in Christchurch with a friend, suggesting she planned to settle here.

This week, Police Search and Rescue, alongside specialist search teams, will be carrying out land, water and aerial searches in and around the Red Zone.

Christchurch police make fresh plea in search for woman missing eight months

Members of the public may notice an increased police presence in the area during the search, including the use of a drone.

Police are thanking those who have already come forward with information, and are urging anyone yet to speak with them to get in touch.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police online at 105 dot police dot govt dot nz, or by phone on 105, quoting file number 251022/9026.

Information can also be passed on anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

Christchurch Red Zone (file)

Last week Police District Commander Superintendent Tony Hill told Chris Lynch Media investigators were treating her disappearance seriously and were still appealing for public help.

“We’ve got a whole team wrapped around that. We’re exploring every avenue. If anyone out there has information or might hold that one clue to link her and show us where she is or what’s happened to her, we’d really like to hear from them.”

Asked how long police pursue missing persons cases before scaling back, Hill was direct.

“I don’t think we ever give up. You’ve probably seen incidents in recent years where we’ve solved things from decades ago. That’s one of the things we should be really proud about in New Zealand Police.”