King Country murder arrest made

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LATEST: A man has been arrested and charged with the murder of a woman whose body was found in a King Country house at the weekend, police said.

The man, 20, from Benneydale, was due to appear in Hamilton District Court today over the death of Wini Miria Te Maia McLean.

Police and ambulance staff found Ms McLean's body in a house in in Benneydale, 35km southeast of Te Kuiti, after a 111 call was received about 5.20am on Saturday.

Detective Senior Sergeant Pete van de Wetering said an autopsy was completed yesterday and it revealed that Ms McLean, 20, suffered multiple injuries.

Her body had been released to her family.

Mr van de Wetering said many Benneydale residents had been spoken to and the information they provided had helped the inquiry.

"With their help, we were able to reconstruct events that led up to Ms McLean's death and I am grateful for their help," he said.

"Although we have spoken to many people, there are still more to be seen. A squad of detectives will continue interviews over the coming days."

Ms McLean, who lived and worked in Benneydale, attended a party in the town on Friday night.

Police said they were still anxious to speak to people who may have been at the local hotel or the party.

Family and friends of Ms McLean have come together to mourn her death.

The small King Country community, 35km southeast of Te Kuiti, was quiet on Saturday afternoon, with residents expressing their shock.

About 30 people gathered on the front lawn of a family home in School Rd. They did not want to comment on Ms  McLean's death when approached by the Waikato Times.

- with NICOLA BRENNAN, Waikato Times

- NZPA