A post-mortem is due to take place later today on human remains found yesterday in the search for missing Christchurch woman Yanfei Bao.
Yesterday, an "investigative lead" saw a team of 60 search staff at private farmland in the Greenpark area, where a shallow grave about "150mm" deep was discovered after an hour-and-a-half along the tree line.
Detective Inspector Nicola Reeves said yesterday she felt confident the remains were Bao's. The area had previously been searched.
"Our forensic examination team carefully removed the remains yesterday afternoon, and a post mortem is due to take place later today," Reeves said this morning.
Over a year after her disappearance, human remains have been found in the search for the Christchurch woman. (Source: 1News)
"This process will formally identify the remains and provide answers for the outstanding questions we have."
Police will remain at the Greenpark property today to thoroughly search the area for any other possible items of interest.
Reeves thanked the "dedicated team of staff that brought about this result".
"Bringing Yanfei home is what we set out to do, and we are confident that we have succeeded in that."
She said Bao's family would be "processing the news" and hoped it would "give them a sense of peace".
In September, Tingjun Cao, 53, pleaded not guilty to Bao's kidnapping and murder. He was arrested at Christchurch Airport just days after Bao's disappearance and, in mid-August last year, was charged with her murder. He was remanded in custody for trial later this year.
Police are now continuing to prepare for his upcoming trial in October.
Bao, a 44-year-old mother and real estate agent, was last seen alive in the suburb of Wigram on July 19, 2023.
A day later, police announced she was missing, and a week after that, her disappearance was upgraded to a homicide investigation.
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