Accused changes plea on property developer's murder

The man accused of a property developer's murder admitted his guilt today in the High Court in Auckland.

Dean Joseph Shepherd, 45, of Manurewa, south Auckland was on trial for the murder of Thai-born New Zealand woman Darunee Aphiromlerk in October 2004.

Shepherd denied the killing and was three days into a eight-day trial when he changed his plea to guilty shortly after 10am today.

Ms Aphiromlerk's partner of three years Martin Coogan said he was relieved the 18-month ordeal was finally over.

"I'm surprised [the guilty plea] didn't come earlier," Mr Coogan said outside the court.

"The police did tell me he'd made a confession and he'd pointed out where he'd disposed of some of her belongings."

He said reliving the events through the trial had been upsetting.

"I have been a little affected... upset this past week throughout the trial."

Mr Coogan, an Auckland lawyer, said he had some work to do today, "but I'll have a gin and tonic afterwards".

The prosecution was nearing the end of its case and was about to show the jury video-taped evidence of Shepherd's police interview as well as a reconstruction of the events leading up to Ms Aphiromlerk's death.

Crown prosecutor Richard Marchant said at the start of the trial Shepherd, a tenant who owed money to Ms Aphiromlerk, went to her flat in Manurewa about 9pm October 3 2004.

After an argument he took her to a spare bedroom, where he bound her hands and feet, gagged her and covered her in a duvet.

Later that night Shepherd drove her to Mercer, in North Waikato, he carried her over his shoulder, wrapped in the duvet, to a spot near the Whangamarino Stream, near the Waikato river, Mr Marchant said.

He took her to a bridge and dropped her in a stream where she drowned.

Her body was found by a fisherman in Mercer.

A couple of days later Shepherd took Ms Aphiromlerk's BMW car and a television from her flat, dumping the car in the Auckland suburb of Epsom.

Shepherd's lawyer Allan Roberts said his client had decided to change his plea just after the trial began.

"I suppose once you sit down and listen to it all and the enormity of it all just kind of sheets itself home," Mr Roberts said of Shepherd.

Detective Senior Sergeant Gary Lendrum said he was pleased Shepherd had finally admitted his guilt.

Mr Lendrum said Shepherd basically admitted his guilt in the taped police interview.

"He took us back to the scene and explained exactly how he'd done it," he said.

"Everyone's allowed to test the evidence, but as the trial progressed he obviously realised the writing was on the wall."

Shepherd was remanded in custody for sentencing on September 8.

- NZPA