Warning: This article contains graphic language
Nicole Marie Tuxford's killer waited for eight hours at her home before brutally murdering her, a Christchurch court has heard.
The 55-year-old man admitted the chilling murder of the 27-year-old at her Exeter St home in Merivale on April 7, when he appeared in the High Court of Christchurch on Friday. He has name suppression.
He pleaded not guilty to sexually violating her, and will go on trial next year before being sentenced on the murder charge.
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According to the Crown's summary of facts, the killer wanted a sexual relationship with Ms Tuxford.
Ms Tuxford was training to be a life coach, and offered him help out of sympathy.
The pair met professionally and socialised in similar circles.
In the days leading up to her death, she invited the man to her house but made it clear she in no way wanted a relationship.
When he found out she was in a relationship with another man he sent her multiple texts, to which she didn't reply.
The day before her death, Ms Tuxford stayed the night at her partner's house and had arranged to meet with an electrician at her home the following morning.
That same night, police stopped the offender at a drink-driving checkpoint, where he tested three times over the legal breath-alcohol limit and was forbidden to drive.
He then taxied to Ms Tuxford's house, broke into her home and waited eight hours for her return.
On the morning of April 7, Ms Tuxford returned home to meet the electrician and was confronted by the killer. She tried to fight him off and suffered cuts to her hand.
She bit him and he punched her in the face. Neighbours heard her screams as he overpowered.
At the same time, the electrician was outside the house, knocking on the spare bedroom window to see if anyone was home.
The killer put a scarf in Ms Tuxford's mouth, knotting it behind her head and taping her head and mouth.
The electrician heard muffled noises and continued to walk around the outside of the house, calling out. He put up a ladder outside, inspected junction boxes then left.
Ms Tuxford was then murdered, the killer strangling her and cutting her throat so deep it almost severed her head.
He then covered her body with her trousers and his jacket, and took off in her car.
While driving he suffered a medical event, crashing the vehicle and was taken to hospital.
The electrician returned to the home, broke in through a window out of concern and found Ms Tuxford's body and called police.
Police spoke to the murderer in the hospital, where he admitted the killing.
Ms Tuxford's family previously said they were "broken" by her death.
Born and bred in Dunedin, she moved to Christchurch to pursue her professional career after she finished high school.
"Nicky was a funny, bubbly character who lit up a room with her personality and made other people laugh. She loved people and had ambitions to work as a counsellor so she could help others," a family statement read.
In a statement released on Friday, Detective Darryl Sweeney expressed his sympathies to Ms Tuxford's family.
He said there was no way the police officers at the drink-driving checkpoint could have known the man's intentions and are deeply affected by Ms Tuxford's death.
The man has been remanded in custody for sentencing on the murder charge on December 13.
Newshub.
