Dead woman's boyfriend charged with her killing

The 20-year-old boyfriend of Palmerston North teen Barbara Jayne Miller appeared in court today, charged with her killing.

Basil Steven Marshall Mist, of Ashhurst, 15km northeast of Palmerston North, is charged with two counts of assaulting Miss Miller and one of murder.

He was remanded to June 10 for a pre-depositions conference by Judge Barry Lovegrove.

Defence counsel Mike Behrens, QC, made no application for bail and no plea was entered.

The arrest yesterday came almost six weeks to the day after Miss Miller, a 17-year-old mother of two, was found dead in her suburban Highbury home on March 24.

She had been living in the house less than a week.

Her death was the second homicide in Highbury in as many months.

Miss Miller's home was next door to the property on which the body of 16-year-old gang affiliate Wallace Whatuira was found, shot dead, on Waitangi Day, February 6.

Three men are in custody awaiting trial for the killing of Wallace.

- NZPA