POLICE are hunting for a man they believe is staying in Tamworth who could hold the key to the death of a former journalist and staffer to former NSW Premier Bob Carr.
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Judy Henstock was believed to have been dead for days when her body was discovered in the bedroom of her home in Rozelle at 5.20pm on Sunday.
The 63-year-old mother of three, who was recovering from a cancer operation, was last seen in a supermarket at Broadway Shopping Centre just after midnight on Wednesday, after seeing a movie with a friend at the Dendy Cinema in Newtown.
Her flatmate of four weeks, a retail worker identified by police only as Luke, has not been seen since last Thursday, and appeared to have moved out without explanation.
He failed to show up for work in Balmain yesterday, and is believed to be in Tamworth visiting a sick relative.
Leichhardt local area command crime manager Inspector Tony Trad said Luke may hold the key to Ms Henstock's death.
"At the moment we're concentrating our investigation on locating him," Inspector Trad said.
"It appears that he's moved out of the premises and because we have no results from the post-mortem at this stage we'd like to piece together exactly what happened between those hours (between him being seen last and Ms Henstock's death)."
Friends called Ms Henstock's children after she failed to show for an outing.
Inspector Trad said there were no signs of a struggle but police could not rule out murder or foul play.
"It's very early to suggest that but we need to look at all avenues," he said.
Police are now waiting on toxicology and post mortem results.
Ms Henstock's son Vince Teirney, 44, said his mother had recently recovered from breast cancer and was looking forward to a trip to New Zealand.
He said the last time he saw his mother was two weeks ago at his home.
"She was very happy, she ate well, we laughed and she was very excited about her future... she was just very joyous, very high-spirited and this is all very sudden."
Ms Henstock had worked as a producer and announcer for ABC Radio and the Seven Network in Broken Hill, and freelanced for the Sydney Morning Herald.
Daughter Raewyn Teirney said she'd met Luke once and he was "very nice and polite".
Luke is about 27-years-old and described as being of European appearance, 180cm tall, thin and with straggly brown hair.
Anyone with information about Luke, or Ms Henstock's movements between midnight Wednesday and Sunday evening, is urged to contact police.
