The Community Magistrate granted the defendant provisional name suppression pending his next High Court appearance on November 27.

The accused man was remanded in custody. No bail application was made.

Police did not oppose a request to temporarily suppress the name.

The hearing was over in a few minutes. The accused man did not speak as he sat in the dock and listened to his lawyer, who was brought into court via audio-visual link.

The public gallery was empty during the brief hearing, with only two security officers posted at the door. No reason was entered.

The neighbor heard the argument before calling 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 a homicide investigation.

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

“Help me, help me” a man was shouting… and a woman was screaming.”

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

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

“(The person on the phone) said to hold a towel or a t-shirt around the woman’s neck.”

When 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 family harm incident at a house on Brandon Rd at 11.08pm.

Libby said the woman was rushed to hospital with multiple critical stab wounds, but died a short time later.

Libby said a site examination at the property is ongoing and cordons remain in place.

“An increased police presence will remain in the area while inquiries are carried out, however we do not believe there is an ongoing risk to the public.

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

A neighbor told him Herald he believed a new family had recently moved onto the property at the center of the investigation.

She said there were parties but she couldn’t hear one at the property last night.

Another neighbor walking her two young children to school said Brandon Rd is usually a very quiet street.

“You don’t hear anything after 6, 7 p.m..”

An NZME photographer at the scene earlier said a stretch of Brandon Rd between Glenorchy St and Glucina Pl was closed, with armed police standing guard.

The police were also guarding the address of interest.

Libby said police would like to hear from anyone who may have witnessed anything or was in the area at the time.

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

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