KEY POINTS:
Blood spots and drag marks leading into the bush from a quiet country road pointed the way to the body of slain German backpacker Birgit Brauer, a jury in the High Court at New Plymouth was told yesterday.
Michael Scott Wallace, 46, is standing trial, charged with murdering Ms Brauer, 28.
Oakura man Bryce Vickers told how he found Ms Brauer's body, about 30m from the road at Lucys Gully, near New Plymouth, on September 20, 2005.
He said he was running on Lucys Gully Rd about 4.50pm when he noticed glimpses of colour in the bush, then "some distinct drag marks", leading off the road.
"I was curious to see what it was I had seen," he said. "I couldn't work out what the shape was in the bush."
He was about 12m into the trees when he realised he was looking at a body.
"Initially I yelled out, but I carried on closer towards it."
Mr Vickers approached to within a metre of Ms Brauer's body.
"I leaned out with my left foot, and gave her a gentle push on the exposed skin."
He then bent down and touched the exposed small of her back, with the back of his right hand. "She felt cold."
He told the court Ms Brauer's left breast was exposed, and her top pulled up and covering her head.
Police say Wallace murdered Ms Brauer at Lucys Gully, first bashing her about the head with an iron bar, then stabbing her through the heart.
New Plymouth detective Christopher Barron told the trial Ms Brauer's left breast was exposed, and "a penetrating wound" was visible below it.
Though the body was found more than 30m from the road and without boots, the soles of her feet were "relatively clean".
"There was not the dirt on them I would have expected if she had walked to that position where she was found."
Ms Brauer's boots and socks were near her body, and the soles of the boots were cleaner than they would have been had she walked from the road.
Under cross-examination by defence lawyer Susan Hughes, QC, Mr Barron said no blood, fingerprints, clothing or rubbish belonging to Wallace was found at the scene.
Detective Constable Christopher Allan said Ms Brauer's right hand was gripping the cuff of her jacket, but her left hand was caught up in clothing near her head.
"It appeared Ms Brauer had been dragged by the legs, hence the clothing rolling up towards her head and neck area," he said
Much of Ms Brauer's clothing was heavily bloodstained, and ESR scientist Angelica Edgley gave evidence about the nature of the staining.
She said blood "splatter" on Ms Brauer's jacket was typical of that spread when a person was breathing heavily with blood in the nose and mouth.
Heavier blood staining on the jacket was consistent with lying in a pool of blood, she said.
Ms Brauer's jacket had dirt stains across the back consistent with her being dragged, Ms Edgley said.
The trial, before Justice Mark Cooper, is continuing
