The woman accused of murdering 79-year-old Wellington pensioner Helen Gregory will keep her name secret for now.
The 52-year-old, listed as a teacher, appeared in the Wellington High Court this morning on a charge of murder.
Justice Dale la Hood granted interim name suppression but forbade any reporting of the reasons for name suppression continuing. The matter will be revisited at her next appearance.
She did not enter a plea and was remanded in custody to reappear at the end of May.
Gregory was found dead at her home in Baroda St, Khandallah, shortly before midnight on January 24. A post-mortem revealed her death was the result of a violent act, police said.
Police searched a Porirua landfill in the following days, saying a person of interest was believed to have disposed of items in the hours after Gregory died.
Detective Senior Sergeant Tim Leitch said at the time the search of specific areas within the landfill could “significantly advance” the inquiry.
Neighbours of Gregory’s described her to RNZ as a keen gardener and a quiet woman who kept to herself.
One neighbour, who did not want to be identified, told RNZ that Gregory, who had gone to school with their aunty, spent a lot of her time gardening.
Melissa Nightingale is a Wellington-based reporter who covers crime, justice and news in the capital. She joined the Herald in 2016 and has worked as a journalist for 10 years.
The 19-year-old disappeared without her wallet or mobile phone.