The suspect was arrested and sent to prison. No application for bail was made.

The police did not oppose the application for temporary name suppression.

The hearing was over in a few minutes. The defendant did not speak as he stood in the dock and listened to his lawyer, who was beamed to the court via audio-visual link.

The public gallery was empty during the brief hearing and only two security guards were manning the door. No defense was entered.

Neighbor heard argument before screaming for help

A neighbor heard a man and a woman arguing 30 minutes before hearing screams for help from the property at the center of the murder investigation.

A nearby neighbor of the Brandon Rd property said he heard a man and a woman shouting and screaming, went outside to investigate and saw another neighbor had already called police.

“A man was yelling, ‘Help me, help me’… and a woman was screaming.”

He went outside and heard ambulance personnel talking to a man on the phone about first aid.

He was shouting, ‘Help me, I don’t know what to do.’

“(The person on the phone) told the woman to hold a towel or T-shirt around her neck.”

When the police arrived, the neighbor was told to return to his home.

He said he often heard music coming from the house, but never yelling or fighting.

Waitemata CIB Detective Senior Sergeant Kim Libby said police were called to a domestic mischief incident at a house on Brandon Rd at 11.08pm.

The woman was taken to hospital with multiple serious stab wounds but died a short time later, Libby said.

Libby said a crime scene investigation at the property is ongoing and cordons remain in place.

“There will be an increased police presence in the area whilst investigations are carried out, but we do not believe there is an ongoing risk to the public.

“Our thoughts are with the victim’s family and we are providing support to them at this tragic time.”

A neighbor told reporter He believed a new family had recently moved into the property at the center of the investigation.

He said there were parties but he couldn’t hear there was a party at the facility last night.

Another neighbor, who takes her two young children to school, said Brandon Street is generally a very quiet street.

“You don’t hear anything after 18.00, 19.00 in the evening.”

An NZME photographer at the scene said part of Brandon Rd between Glenorchy St and Glucina Pl had previously been closed while armed police stood guard.

The police also took security measures at the address of interest.

Libby said police are seeking information from anyone who witnessed anything or was in the area at the time.

They are asking people to contact police online or call 105, quoting case number 241104/8083.

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