A murder charge has been laid over the disappearance of Yanfei Bao in Christchurch last month.
The man who was earlier charged with kidnapping the Christchurch real estate agent has also been charged with murder and will be back in court on Tuesday. The 52-year-old is understood to have been living in New Zealand for a matter of months and was renting in the suburb of Bryndwr.
In an update on Tuesday, images of a tracksuit, top and spade were also released to the public - which police were asking for information about.
Det Insp Nicola Reeves said it's believed the items were discarded in the Christchurch area sometime between July 19 - the day Bao went missing - and July 22.
"The spade is brand new," Det Insp Reeves said.
"Anyone that saw someone acting in an unusual manner or can assist police in locating the whereabouts of the tracksuit, the top and spade is asked to please to contact police."
The latest developments come less than a day after police announced the search for Bao was being paused.
Reeves said on Monday the decision was made so further areas of interest could be prepared for search activity.
It's nearly been a month since Bao went missing.
Searches have since been carried out at several locations across the city since her disappearance, including multiple properties and waterways.
Bao's family earlier this month paid tribute to the missing woman, calling her a "beloved wife and mother".
"The family urges anyone with information that could assist the police in locating Yanfei to come forward as soon as possible," they said in a statement.
