Murder victim 'stabbed himself' in neck - accused

The scene of the fatal stabbing in Elgin. Photo / APN

Accused murderer Patricia Erica Paton had a "huge egg" on her forehead and a split lip when she hitchhiked from Gisborne to Opotiki on the night her partner died from a stab wound.

The injuries on Paton on the night in question, as well as historical domestic violence towards her, were outlined to the jury on the second day of her trial in the High Court at Gisborne.

The 30-year-old is charged with the murder of her partner Lawrence Teepa-Moon - a 33-year-old forestry worker.

Mr Teepa-Moon died on February 14 from a single stab wound to his neck.

Witness Chris Woods said he was driving his truck back to Tauranga when a woman jumped out on to the road and waved him down on State Highway 2.

It was very early on February 15. He assumed there had been a car accident and stopped his truck.

The woman opened his passenger door and said she wanted a ride to Opotiki.

Mr Woods noticed she had a "huge egg" on her forehead and a split lip.

She was barefooted, dressed in track pants, a singlet and carrying only her cellphone.

When he asked what had happened she said she had been "beaten up" by her man.

Paton told him there had been a party at their home and she and her partner fought. She claimed he gave her a hiding then stabbed himself in the neck, Mr Woods said.

She told Mr Woods she had been beaten with a vacuum pipe and that Mr Teepa-Moon had grabbed a knife from the block on the kitchen bench and pushed it into his neck.

"At some stage in Waioeka Gorge she said, 'When I stabbed', then corrected herself to say, 'When he stabbed'," said Mr Woods.

At about 3.30am he dropped her off at her cousin's house in Opotiki.

"Thinking there was something quite bizarre with the passenger I'd just had from Gisborne, I stopped down the road and called the police."

The trial is expected to last all week.