Auckland police appeal to public for help as they continue to piece together what happened to the British backpacker

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

Police investigating the murder of British backpacker Grace Millane are looking for a shovel believed to be connected to the inquiry.

Millane, 22, went missing from a hostel in Auckland on 1 December and a body was found in the Waitakere Ranges on Sunday.

A 26-year-old man, who cannot be named, has been charged with murder and appeared in an Auckland court on Monday.

‘Your daughter should have been safe here’: NZ's apology to family of Grace Millane Read more

Det Insp Scott Beard addressed speculation about the case on Tuesday and said detectives were looking for a shovel.

“At this point we don’t know where this item is,” he said. “It could be anywhere between the Scenic Drive and central Auckland areas. Someone may have come across it, picked it up and taken it home. We need to speak to that person or anyone who has seen it.”

“I am are aware that there is a great deal of public speculation about what happened to Grace,” he said. “It is with great reluctance that I will only confirm the following, and say that Grace’s body was intact when it was recovered.”

Officers said they have received “hundreds” of calls about the case and investigators are trying to establish a timeline of events.

Play Video 1:14 Jacinda Ardern: 'Hurt and shame' over Briton's death – video

On Monday, New Zealand’s prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, gave an emotional apology to Millane’s family, saying: “Your daughter should have been safe here, and she wasn’t, and I’m sorry for that.

“I cannot imagine the grief of her family and what they would be experiencing and feeling right now.”

Detectives said they had identified a “location of interest” after the investigation led them to a spot on Scenic Drive, a country road about 12 miles west of the city centre, on Saturday night.

#HerLightOurLove: New Zealanders pay tribute to Grace Millane Read more

The last confirmed sighting of Millane was at 9.41pm on 1 December, the day before her birthday, at the Citylife Hotel, when she was seen with a “male companion”.

Since arriving in New Zealand from Peru on 20 November, she had been in near-daily contact with her family.

Police received a missing person report on Wednesday and began a major search and public campaign that saw dozens of calls made to a helpline.

Millane’s father, David Millane, flew to Auckland and made a public appeal for help finding his daughter, who he described as “lovely, outgoing, fun-loving [and] family-orientated”.

Her brother, Declan Millane, paid tribute by sharing pictures on social media of him and his sister, adding the lyrics of You Are My Sunshine.

He wrote on Instagram: “You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are grey. You’ll never know, dear, how much I love you. Please don’t take my sunshine away.”