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A woman's body is found in the Avon River - Source: ONE News -
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Police say a woman whose body was found in Christchurch's Avon River on Friday morning had been working as a prostitute.
Ngatai Lynette (Mallory) Manning, 27, was officially identified after police spoke to her next of kin and partner.
Detective Inspector Greg Williams said the inquiry team have been able to establish Manning had been working as a prostitute in the Peterborough and Manchester Street area of Christchurch.
"We know that Ngatai was home last night at about 9.30 and we are piecing together her movements through the evening."
Her body was found by a kayaker about 6.50am near Dallington Terrace, east of the city centre, prompting police to launch a homicide investigation.
Williams said there were obvious injuries and it was apparent the death was not from natural causes, but police would need to wait for results of a post-mortem to provide more information about what happened.
Investigators were initially unable to identify the woman but managed to find clothing and personal items which assisted them.
Williams said Manning was wearing a watch which had stopped at 11 o'clock.
She was wearing a short red cotton skirt, a black cardigan, a blue bikini top with white dots, and carrying a black shoulder bag.
Williams said the inquiry team was starting to build a picture of Manning's movements and asked anyone with information to contact police.
Manning's death follows the murder of another Christchurch prostitute, Susan Sutherland, whose body was found in a vacant inner-city section in the city, in 2005.
South African man Jule Burns was convicted for her murder and sentenced to 17 years in jail.
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