KEY POINTS:
US police were "more than a little baffled" when they found the body of a New Zealand man's girlfriend in dry ice in his hotel room, according to reports.
Police found the body of Monique Trepp, 33, in a large container in Room 966 at the Fairmont Newport Beach hotel after arresting Stephen David Royds, 46, last Thursday on drugs charges.
Royds had lived in the $300-a-night hotel for more than two years.
It was unclear how long Ms Trepp's body had been in the room, but the Orange County Register reported she may have been dead for a year.
The Los Angeles Times reports that Newport Police were "more than a little baffled" when they found the body of Trepp.
Sergeant Evan Sailor said: "It's not normal, it's a little weird."
Assistant District Attorney Dennis Conway said it appeared Ms Trepp had died of a drug overdose but that was unconfirmed.
Mr Conway told the Orange County Register that Royds' room was in "disarray, strewn with drug paraphernalia and wrapped Christmas presents".
"It was apparently pretty hard to walk around in there. There was so much stuff on the floor," he said.
CBS Television reported that the unopened presents included gifts of cocaine. The broadcaster said Royd's room also contained a dancer's pole and sex toys.
Royds was quoted in the Orange County Register as saying that Ms Trepp's death was related to religion.
"Everything that happened was for religious reasons," he was reported to have said repeatedly.
Bar owner Arturo Flores told the paper that he had heard Royds had held a memorial ceremony for Trepp about a year ago.
Royds is not known to New Zealand police, but American police said he was a New Zealand native with convictions in the United States.
He is being held on $1 million bail and is back in court tomorrow.
Prosecutors said the fact he was from New Zealand and had failed to appear in court previously made him a flight risk.
Do you know Stephen Royds? Email the Herald Newsdesk
Royds is understood to have been in the US for 20 years. He has a history of fleeing the law, and uses multiple aliases. One of his false names was Mel Steven Proffitt, which US authorities believe came from the 1987 TV series Wiseguy.
He appeared in court yesterday facing drug charges after he was arrested inside his room.
Royds has pleaded not guilty to one charge relating to sale or transport of a controlled substance, understood to be cocaine, and one charge of possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell it.
Susan Schroeder from the Orange County District Attorney's Office, said police could not yet comment on the extent of Royds' involvement in the drug world.
"We are continuing to investigate that. We know Mr Royds has been living and paying cash at an expensive hotel for a long time.
"It does not appear Mr Royds has any discernable occupation other than sales of drugs."
Ms Schroeder said it appeared Royds was a legal resident in America but it was not clear yet if he was a US citizen or if he was in the country on a green card.
She said Ms Trepp had not been reported missing but appeared as if she had been dead for a long time.
Royds' arrest was last night news to his father, John Royds, of Queenstown.
Mr Royds said he had not seen his son in about 20 years, and was no longer in contact with him.
The pair had not spoken since Mr Royds' 70th birthday, 7 1/2 years ago.
He was not aware of any religious influence in his son's life.
The family, originally from Waimate in South Canterbury, moved to Queenstown in the mid 1970s.
Stephen Royds was a keen skier, training at Queenstown's Coronet Peak and gaining his instructor's certificate.
"He got into skiing in Queenstown, and he absolutely loved it. He was a very, very good skier."
Stephen went on to win the Sun Valley Ski Championships, and Mr Royds said skiing was a factor in his son's move to the US.
When asked why the family had not stayed in touch, Mr Royds said the answer lay with his son, Stephen.
An autopsy concluded that Ms Trepp's death was not a homicide, and Royds has not been charged over her death, US media reported.#Officials said no decision on any possible charges over the death would be made until police receive the result of toxicology tests.
A funeral director told nzherald.co.nz a body could be kept for a year in perfect condition if dry ice was applied and kept at a constant temperature.
Natural Funeral Company director Chris Foote said her company often uses the product in place of embalming for people of religions and cultures who do not believe in "interfering with the body".
Ms Foote said if a body was kept at a constant temperature, like food, it could be preserved in good condition.
"If the temperature was kept evenly and didn't fluctuate, it could be preserved in perfect condition. It's essential how it is administered, too much can cause freezer burn. Bigger people need more and little people don't need much at all because it is a very strong product," Ms Foote said.
She said no licence was needed to obtain dry ice in New Zealand.
* Royds failed to appear for sentencing in a previous drug case in 2002. In that case the judge set bail at $1 million.
- ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY NZPA / NZHERALD STAFF
