How Grace Millane’s round-the-world trip turned into tragedy
The 22-year-old, from Essex, was found dead on Sunday – more than week after she was last seen alive in Auckland.
A man has appeared in court in New Zealand charged with the murder of British backpacker Grace Millane.
Here is a timeline of how her round-the-world trip turned into tragedy (all times local).
– November 20: The Lincoln University graduate arrives in New Zealand, having visited Peru on the first leg of her travels.
– November 30: Posts her last tweet, quipping: “I think travelling has changed me I just brought some blue jeans.”
– December 1, around 7pm: Seen on Victoria Street in central Auckland.
– December 1, 7.15pm: Seen on CCTV at Sky City, an entertainment complex and casino on Victoria Street.
– December 1, 9.41pm: Seen at the Citylife Hotel on Queen Street, around 250m from Sky City, with a “male companion”.
– December 2, just before noon: A red Toyota Corolla hatchback is hired from a central Auckland rental firm.
– December 3, between 6.30am and 9.30am: The car is thought to have been driven in western Auckland.
– December 3, noon: The car is returned to the rental company.
– December 5: Ms Millane is reported missing to City of Auckland Police.
– December 6: Police appeal for the public’s help finding the backpacker.
– December 7: After arriving in Auckland her father, David Millane, makes an emotional plea for help finding his daughter. Police reveal they have spoken to the male companion and he is a person of interest. The man was not taken into custody and police said there was no evidence of foul play.
– December 8, 3pm: A 26-year-old man is taken into custody at a central Auckland address by police.
– December 8, 5pm: Police announce that they have obtained evidence that suggests Ms Millane has been killed and they have seized a “vehicle of interest”.
– December 8, evening: Detectives charge the suspect with Ms Millane’s murder.
December 9: Police announce they are searching an area on Scenic Drive, near the Waitakere Reservoir.
December 9, shortly after 4pm: Police find a body they believe to be Ms Millane in vegetation around 10m from the road.
December 10: The suspect appears in court in Auckland.
