Murder accused claims masked intruder was killer

File photo / NZH

A 25-year-old woman charged with murder after the fatal stabbing of another woman in Auckland claims a masked intruder was responsible for the killing.

The names of the accused and her alleged victim are suppressed.

The accused appeared in Auckland District Court today for a hearing to determine whether police had a strong enough case for the trial to proceed.

She is accused of stabbing the 53-year-old woman to death in their Remuera flat on March 26.

Giving evidence today, a neighbour said he answered a knock at his door late on the Friday night and found the victim on the ground outside.

"I noticed a lady was on her knees - she was hunched - it looked like she had stomach pains or something. Then she said 'help, I've been stabbed by (the accused), help'."

He dragged her inside his apartment and called emergency services while her blood started to pool on the floor and she lost consciousness, he said.

Efforts to resuscitate her failed.

The accused woman's lawyer, John Anderson, said his client maintained a masked intruder dressed in black and wearing gloves killed the woman after breaking into their home via the balcony.

The accused had tried to come to the victim's aid, which explained cuts she received to her hand, he said.

After spending four days examining the crime scene, Detective Daniel Egen said he concluded that it was "possible but not probable" that an intruder had entered the property from the balcony.

There was no evidence which suggested anyone had been on the balcony that night and no signs of forced entry, he said.

Mr Egen found a bloody knife behind the microwave containing traces of the deceased's and the accused's DNA, and blood on the bed, couch, in the bathroom and on a towel.

Police prosecutor Aaron Perkins said there was a history of violence between the two women.

One witness would testify that the accused had once knocked the out one of the victim's teeth, and another neighbour would say that he heard a heated argument between two women on the night of the killing, Mr Perkins said.

Judge Greg Davis reserved his decision until December 10 on whether the case can proceed.

- NZPA