A former New Zealand gang member has agreed to give a DNA sample from Australia - where he allegedly moved to after being linked to the murder of Lisa Blakie.
Police have re-opened the case into the Timaru woman's murder after new information has surfaced about the number of people involved in her death.
READ MORE: New suspect in Lisa Blakie murder case
On February 1, 2000 20-year-old Blakie had been on the run from her Devil's Henchman boyfriend when she was picked up by Darfield man Timothy Taylor.
Her body was found weighted down by a boulder in the river near Arthur's Pass a few days later, on Waitangi Day.
Taylor was convicted of her death in 2002, but doubts have always remained about whether more people were involved.
An investigation by the 3D current affairs programme, aired on Monday night, revealed another man who may have played a part could be living in Australia.
It claimed a stray pubic hair found on Ms Blakie's body that was never identified could have belonged to him.
According to Fairfax, a man believed to be a former member of the Devil's Henchmen gang allegedly left for Australia after learning police were planning to seek a DNA sample from him following the murder.
Detective Senior Sergeant Greg Murton told Fairfax that police had contacted the man on Tuesday night, and that he had agreed to provide them with a DNA sample.
"I understand from speaking to the detective who contacted him that he is happy to co-operate," he said.
A police liaison officer in Australia would arrange for a blood or saliva sample to be taken within the next week, Murton said.
"We have no legal jurisdiction to collect a DNA sample in Australia, so it's voluntary."
Both Lisa's father, Doug Blakie, and an ex-police officer who worked on the case, Bridget McMenamin, have maintained that more people were involved.
Mr Blakie told Fairfax that news of the DNA sample meant things were "moving in the right direction".
However, he wanted to wait until the results of the test were determined before commenting further.