Man jailed for killing 'dear friend'

According to the police summary of facts, Bonner contacted Ms Morris on New Year's Eve and they arranged to meet for dinner at his house in the quiet Coniston Ave, Ilam on January 3. She drove her blue Honda Civic to Bonner's house about 6.20pm after finishing work. He had set up the sunroom for her to stay the night so she could enjoy a drink. They ate dinner, drank bottles of wine she had brought and smoked cannabis. After dinner, they watched a Dire Straits DVD and when that finished Bonner put on a Corrs DVD for Ms Morris to watch while he washed the dishes in the kitchen. Ms Morris, who worked and socialised at Phoenix Bar and Cafe, was seated in a La-Z-Boy chair when Bonner came back into the room and attacked her from behind.

She received skull and eye socket fractures, a broken nose, broken tooth, extensive facial bruising and two lacerations to the back of her head caused by "a very forceful collision with a rounded-edged item,'' Crown prosecutor Kathy Bell told the court. He strangled Ms Morris with her own leggings, which was the ultimate cause of death, although Ms Bell said the head injuries were life-threatening in their own right. Bonner then dragged his friend's body through the lounge, out the back door and into her car. He dumped the car at Greys Rd, near the airport, with the victim semi-naked and face-up. The vehicle and body were found by a passing jogger three days later.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10817381