Man accused of killing tourist appears in New Zealand court

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — A man accused of killing 22-year-old British tourist Grace Millane made his first appearance in a New Zealand court Monday. On Sunday, police found a body they believe is that of Millane in a forested area about 10 meters (33 feet) from the side of the road in the Waitakere Ranges near Auckland. She went missing Dec. 1 and failed to get in touch with her family on her birthday the next day, or on the days that followed, which alarmed them. They also confirmed that a 26-year-old man, who was speaking to police in connection with Grace's disappearance, would be charged with her murder when he appears at Auckland District Court tomorrow (Monday, December 10). Media reports say the 26-year-old man stared at the ground while a judge addressed him during the brief appearance at the Auckland District Court. Described by her father as fun-loving and family-oriented, Millane had been travelling in New Zealand as part of a planned yearlong trip abroad that began in Peru. Ms Millane was last seen on CCTV on Saturday, December 1 entering the CityLife Hotel in central Auckland with a 26-year-old man who was now in police custody. TRENDING: Memo to Mitch McConnell: Come January, Confirm ALL the Judges

Detective Inspector Scott Beard told reporters near the crime scene in the Waitakare Ranges that police believe Millane’s body was taken to the area in a rental car that was later left in the town of Taupo. "This area was identified late last night as a location of interest as a result of our investigative work," Beard said. Millane’s father, David Millane, traveled to New Zealand last week after his daughter vanished, and Judge Evangelos Thomas addressed him and other family members. Grace makes contact with her family - the last time they will hear from her after daily messages back and forth. Before she vanished, Millane had been staying at a backpacker hostel in Auckland, and she left some of her belongings there. Detective Inspector Scott Beard said she met a man for a couple of hours in the evening before surveillance cameras showed them entering the CityLife hotel at about 9:40 p.m.

A week after Millane disappeared, police detained a man for questioning and later charged him with murder.
The body of missing tourist Grace Millane is found outside of Auckland, New Zealand.