‘Do the right thing’: Police urge partner of missing woman Rowena Walker to speak | RNZ

[00:00:00]The 15th of June, Monday just gone, marked 10 months since Rowena went missing from an address in Burwood.

[00:00:08]Since then, there's been no digital footprint and no verified sightings of her.

[00:00:12]Today is Rowena's 40th birthday.

[00:00:15]Instead of celebrating that important milestone, her family are desperate to know what's happened to her.

[00:00:21]A search of part of the Christchurch red zone in April didn't yield any positive results for the investigation, although the team is planning a further search for a few weeks' time.

[00:00:33]We're working our way through a vast amount of digital information, and we continue to speak with witnesses and identify new inquiries.

[00:00:42]We still have a lot of work to do, and we're committed to finding Rowena and resolving the investigation.

[00:00:49]We believe that on or about the 15th of August 2025, Rowena met with foul play and that she's no longer alive.

[00:00:57]There's someone in the community who knows what's happened to Rowena, and it's time for them to step up and talk to police.

[00:01:04]Rowena has family, including young children who deserve to know what's happened to her.

[00:01:10]So far, Rowena's partner at the time has declined to assist us with our inquiries.

[00:01:16]No person can be compelled to speak with the police under any circumstances, and it is that person's right to maintain his silence.

[00:01:25]However, as the last person known to have seen Rowena alive, his assistance is crucial to our investigation, and it's disappointing and frustrating for the team that he has declined to assist us.

[00:01:37]I'd strongly urge that person to reconsider his options and engage with police.

[00:01:44]We're grateful for the information that we've received so far from the public, and we continue to ask the community to help us bring answers to Rowena's family.

[00:01:53]Are there any questions?

[00:01:54]>> Um, you said that foul play is involved. What evidence do you have pointing to foul play?

[00:02:01]>> I can't go into specifics about the investigation. I won't jeopardize it by giving that kind of information, but for somebody to have no presence in the world for what is now 10 months is just not natural. It's I would venture it's almost impossible to achieve.

[00:02:17]>> Could you talk through Rowena's last night of the last night that you know about? You mentioned that her partner was the last person to see her alive.

[00:02:26]Can you describe the circumstances around that?

[00:02:28]>> So, Rowena was last seen as we know on CCTV footage on the 14th of August.

[00:02:36]We have digital information to suggest that she was at home in the Bearwood area on the evening of the 15th of August.

[00:02:43]And that is the last we know that she was alive and well.

[00:02:47]>> So, you said her partner was the last person to see her alive. What were the circumstances of that?

[00:02:51]>> Her partner is the last person we can verify as having seen her alive. I can't rule out the possibility that somebody else has done since then, but we have no information to suggest that.

[00:03:02]>> Could you talk through what that contact is? What the partner saw?

[00:03:06]Or what you know what? They haven't spoken to you, but you've verified something in there about them.

[00:03:11]>> Uh we know that they were together on the evening of the 15th of August.

[00:03:15]>> How do we know that?

[00:03:17]>> Sorry.

[00:03:18]>> How we How do we know they were together?

[00:03:20]>> So, Rowena had a FaceTime call with an acquaintance and the partner was a part of that call.

[00:03:26]>> Has the partner ever spoken to police?

[00:03:28]>> We have approached the partner for an interview and so far he's declined to provide us with one as is his right.

[00:03:34]>> Even at the beginning of the missing person's case?

[00:03:36]>> Uh on several times we've made approaches to him.

[00:03:40]>> Has he given any reasons for why?

[00:03:42]>> Uh he hasn't and he's not obliged to, unfortunately.

[00:03:47]>> What about the family? Have you You know, you said you've been working um and them in their concern, but yeah, how have they been feeling and all working in with you guys?

[00:03:55]>> Uh we maintain regular contact uh particularly with Ro- Rowena's mother.

[00:04:00]Uh she's beside herself uh and just needs answers. No parent should have to go through life not knowing what's happened to their child and that's the reality that she's facing.

[00:04:08]>> Um what are all the next steps of the search? I know you mentioned um last time uh in the red zone. Is there a next area of interest that you guys will be focusing on?

[00:04:16]>> We do have another area of the red zone that we are going to look at in the coming weeks. Um that's primarily because uh it's very close to where she lived before she went missing.

[00:04:26]Having said that, we can't rule out the possibility that she is not in that area.

[00:04:30]>> Um is there any- what sort of things are you looking for um in that search um in the new area?

[00:04:36]>> Nothing specific, although there may be belongings of Rowena's that have been abandoned somewhere. Uh but we're keeping a very open mind. We'll consider anything.

[00:04:45]>> The last time we searched the red the red zone it was uh 8 months after Rowena went missing and now we're searching another part 10 months after. I mean, what's the timeline for going through the full red zone and is there a plan to do so?

[00:04:58]>> Uh we likely won't do the entire red zone as you can appreciate it's a very big space. Um we're trying to focus on areas that uh have best bang for buck if you like for the resources that we have to invest.

[00:05:11]>> Do you have any evidence pointing to the red zone specifically as an area of interest for you or is it more of the fact that it's a large open space near to you?

[00:05:20]>> She's asking.

[00:05:20]>> It's largely based around the fact that it's a large open space that is in close proximity to where she was living. Uh and it's important that we are exhaustive in in completing that search so that we know we've done it properly.

[00:05:34]>> Is there anything you can tell us about what Rowena's life was like prior to her disappearance?

[00:05:38]>> Uh there's no information to suggest that there was any risk to her safety before she went uh before she went missing on the on or about the 15th of August.

[00:05:47]>> Um has anyone been taken into custody or arrested during the investigation?

[00:05:51]>> No.

[00:05:52]>> And have you searched any residential or commercial properties?

[00:05:55]>> We have searched uh residential properties, the details of which I'm not in a position to go into.

[00:06:00]>> How many people have we interviewed in relation to the case?

[00:06:03]>> Uh I couldn't tell you exact numbers, but it's in the dozens. We have spoken to many witnesses and continue to do so.

[00:06:10]>> Has there been anyone else that's refused to speak with police?

[00:06:13]>> Not to date. Um we Can we just have one more question from the floor?

[00:06:17]>> Do you have any message for the partner who might have seen this?

[00:06:21]>> Yeah, look, I would urge uh Rowena's partner at the time to do the right thing and engage with police and and help us fill that big piece of the puzzle.

[00:06:31]Thank you.

[00:06:32]>> Thank you.