Sightings of car sought in Waimate investigation

Police investigating the deaths of Czech national Dagmar (Dasha) Pytlickova and Waimate man Jason Frandi have renewed their call for sightings of Frandi's vehicle in the hours leading up to their deaths.

Head of the investigation, Detective Senior Sergeant Marion Neill, says the focus of the investigation remains on establishing the movements of Pytlickova and Frandi on the afternoon of Saturday 26 May.

"We are today releasing further photographs of Mr Frandi's car, in the hope that it may prompt people to come forward with information or sightings of the vehicle," she says.

"The last confirmed sighting we have of Frandi was in Waimate at 12:17pm, and we are keen to piece together his movements up to the time that the bodies of Frandi and Dasha were discovered on Sunday.

"At this stage the last confirmed sighting of Dasha was in a gravel area on State Highway 8, near the Cromwell bridge, between 3.00 and 3.10pm. We believe she was attempting to hitch hike to South Canterbury.

"We are continuing to follow up possible sightings, but we still have gaps in what we know of the movements of both people."

Frandi's vehicle is a 1997 two-door Silver BMW, registration ATT530.

Anyone with information is asked to call Timaru Police on (03) 687 9808.

Detective Senior Sergeant Neill says between 15 and 20 detectives are continuing to work on the case.

Staff from Oamaru are conducting enquiries in the Waitaki Valley area  to gather information from the public, while Central Otago detectives are also interviewing acquaintances of Miss Pytlickova.

Detectives from Timaru are working through contacting more than 300 participants in the Waimate Main School charity trail bike ride, some of whom discovered the bodies in a remote forestry block in the Waitaki Valley.

"We are keen to speak to as many participants as possible so that we have a clear picture of exactly what was seen by the riders that afternoon," Detective Senior Sergeant Neill says.