A missing person case turned homicide investigation is resuming in Christchurch on Thursday.
The hunt for the missing body of real estate agent Yanfei Bao is ongoing, with searches in and around Christchurch's Halswell River lasting hours on Wednesday.
In announcing the search for Bao was now a homicide investigation, Det Insp Nicola Reeves said it had been an agonising week for Bao's family.
Bao, 44, went missing in the suburb of Wigram while doorknocking on July 19.
"I do not believe she's alive," Reeves confirmed at a press conference on Wednesday.
"As the investigation has progressed, we've always held grave concerns for her wellbeing but, as the week has progressed - in particular the developments over the past few days - we are now launching a homicide investigation.
"Her family are receiving support from police and Victim Support."
Officers on Wednesday combed the Halswell River and the nearby area of Greenpark, about 17km from where Bao first went missing.
Earlier this week, officers zeroed in on a property on Christchurch's Trevor St, also not far from where Bao went missing.
On Sunday, a 52-year-old man was arrested and charged with kidnapping Bao - with further charges and arrests not being ruled out.
Timeline
Bao, a mother-of-one, recently joined Harcourts as a real estate agent and has extensive experience in sales.
She was last seen on Vickerys Rd in the middle-class area of Wigram at about 10:30am last Wednesday. Her car was left parked on Iroquois Pl.
Police and Bao's family had said her disappearance was very out of character and had deep concerns for her safety.
Officers earlier located one of her cell phones nearly 7km from where she was last seen. Investigators found it in the grass berm along the Southern Motorway thanks to assistance from the public.
Investigators have now searched three properties as part of the probe, dubbed 'Operation Helo'.
