The mutilated body of Sophie Elliott was found lying over an open suitcase when police arrived at the scene.
Grim details revealed to the jury in the trial of Sophie Elliott's lover, Clayton Weatherston, today.
Pathologist Martin Sage says the clustering of the 216 stab wounds at 11 sites on Ms Elliott's body tell a story about her attacker.
Mr Sage said he found defensive wounds on the 22-year-old's arms and says she would have survived the first few minutes of her attack before bleeding to death.
Her body was found on top of an open suitcase she'd been packing for her move to Wellington and blood was spattered all over the room.
"The deceased has been struck a number of blows," ESR forensic scientist Michael Taylor told the jury. "On the floor to her head, near the wall in the northwest corner of the room, this has caused blood to spatter onto nearby surfaces. She has then been dragged, possibly on the suitcase, towards the centre of the room where more blows inflicted."
Weatherston has admitted stabbing his ex-girlfriend 216 times and mutilating seven areas of her body, but claims she provoked him into losing control and killing her.
He killed her with a knife he brought with him in his black laptop bag. The blade was found under Ms Elliott's head and the handle in the suitcase.
He also used a pair of scissors.
Much of what the accused did to Ms Elliott's body were extremely explicit. The jury were also warned about this and Justice Potter suggested they view the images dispassionately and clinically to avoid being overcome by what they saw.
3 News
source: newshub archive
