Student begins trial for apartment murder

Yi Ren. Photo / Supplied

An Auckland woman died after being stabbed in the heart twice before having her body stuffed inside a suitcase, a court has heard.

The trial of Peng Chen Tian, 25, has begun at the High Court in Auckland today.

Crown prosecutor Brian Dickey told the jury that Yi Ren was murdered by Tian in September, 2008 after their business relationship soured.

Tian has pleaded not guilty to the murder.

Mr Dickey has opened the case for the Crown. He told the jury that Tian and Ms Ren had been part of a group of friends who hung out together at an apartment in Auckland.

However, the friendship fell apart after a business deal over a Peugeot car went bad, leaving Tian feeling "ripped off".

Mr Dickey said Tian turned up to Ms Ren's apartment on September 2, 2008 and was let in by another flatmate.

Hours later Tian made a phone call to the ambulance service.

"He said he was bleeding and that there was a big problem: I am killing. He also said that his hand had been injured."

Mr Dickey said Ms Ren's room was "blood soaked" when police and ambulance arrived minutes later.

He said they found Tian sitting on the bed in his underwear and a t-shirt and a knife wrapped in a towel next to him.

"Yi Ren was dead and in the corner in a suitcase," Mr Dickey said.

The 30-year-old student had been stabbed several times. Two wounds to her chest had punctured her heart and would have killed her quickly.

Ms Ren, also known as Tina, was originally from Beijing in China.

The trial, before Justice Douglas White, has been set down for four weeks at the High Court in Auckland.

Earlier Justice White told the jury that they may have feelings of "anger or sympathy" but that they had to put those emotions aside.

"Something you cannot do is to go out and make your own inquiries about anything. For instance, do not be tempted to surf the internet," Justice White said.

The Crown has indicated that 47 witnesses will be called and that some will be giving evidence from China via a video link.

The jury of seven men and five women were sworn in this morning, however 25 prospective jury members had to step down after indicating that they could not sit on a four-week trial or that they knew one of the witnesses.