The man appeared via audio-visual link from the Auckland Custody Unit in Mt Eden Prison before Judge Andrea Manuel.
His lawyer Michael Kan said he had spoken to the man, a Cantonese speaker, who has been in New Zealand for many years, and believed he did not need an interpreter.
The 42-year-old accused wore a blue boiler suit and appeared calm, answering the judge’s questions in a measured tone.
Kan sought and was granted interim suppression of his client’s name, saying his mother, in her 90s, and other family may need to be informed.
“Obviously this will be quite a big shock for them,” Kan said.
Kan did not seek bail.
Judge Manuel granted the man suppression of name, address and occupation. The judge also allowed media to take pictures of the man on the condition they were blurred.
He was remanded in custody without plea ahead of his next appearance in the High Court at Auckland on November 29.
Police located the man in Hamilton last night.
He is charged with murdering the couple by stabbing them to death on November 5.
Detective Inspector Scott Beard, speaking to media today, confirmed Mei Han Chong had been found dead.
Her body was found in the Auckland suburb of Greenhithe in a bush area in the dark overnight.
“I have to thank our outstanding police team, who worked all night,” Beard said.
”We have a team now conducting the scene examination.”
Beard said police discovered suspicious activity on the night of the homicide and scoured hours and hours of CCTV footage that allowed them to locate Chong.
“We’re devastated to locate Mrs Chong in these circumstances and are providing support to their son, who has lost both his father and his mother.
“There are uncles and aunties around but at the moment he is an only child,” Beard said, talking about the anguish and stress he is suffering.
Detective Inspector Scott Beard confirmed a man, 42, has been charged with the murder of Ellerslie couple Fuk-Fu Kwok and Mei Han Chong. Photo / Jason Dorday
Beard said there was no indication the offender had tried to leave the country, and at this stage police were not ruling out further charges.
The investigation is ongoing and a lot of work has been done overnight and we are still trying to piece that together, Beard said.
Beard added he cannot go into many details as the matter is before the court.
The couple’s car was located on Hall Rd in Glenfield, with its number plates changed.
Beard said the homicide investigation continues in Ellerslie but police have a number of other scenes to investigate.
Beard, who is heading the investigation, had been due to appear on The AM Show and TVNZ’s Breakfast morning TV shows today morning but pulled out at the last minute as he instead fronted a press conference on the new developments.
Police subsequently feared for the life of Kwok’s 67-year-old wife, Mei Han Chong.
Mei Han Chong's body was found in the Auckland suburb of Greenhithe.
Police revealed his injuries were “violent and consistent with foul play” and launched a homicide investigation.
Beard said Kwok suffered multiple stab wounds. The killing was described as “quite brutal”.
Beard said the nature of the injuries suggested more than one person was involved, but said no links to organised crime had been found.
Police believed the homicide happened after midnight on Saturday. The couple’s son earlier told police his mother’s disappearance was “totally out of character”.
Chong did not drive, so police said it was likely someone had driven her away. The state of the house indicated Chong did not leave the East Auckland home willingly.
Beard had suggested the killing was a “targeted attack” and had appealed for anyone who had seen or heard from Chong.
A workmate of Kwok visited the Celtic Crescent house this week and left flowers on the driveway.
She told the Herald that Kwok used the name Joseph at his job as an orthopaedic nurse at North Shore Hospital.
Anyone with information that may assist police inquiries is asked to contact police via 105, quoting file number 231106/8053. Alternatively, information can be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.
