Jason Paul Somerville is the man charged with the murder of two women whose bodies were found buried beneath his Wainoni Road home.
His name suppression was lifted when he appeared in Christchurch District Court this afternoon, facing charges of murdering his wife, Rebecca Sara Somerville, and a near neighbour, Tisha Cecelia Lowry, 28, who went missing nearly a year ago.
Somerville, 33, is said to have murdered his 35-year-old wife on Sunday August 30. The date of Miss Lowry's murder is given as "on or about September 25", the day of her disappearance in September 2008.
Judge John Bisphan remanded Somerville in custody to a post committal conference on November 12.
Defence counsel David Ruth said a psychiatric assessment would be done at some stage.
Police searched Somerville's property when he reported his wife missing after an apparent altercation on the Sunday morning at their house.
Several days of painstaking recovery and gathering of evidence followed after the search team found the two bodies which have since been identified as Mrs Somerville and Miss Lowry.
The couple have three children who were not living in the house at the time. It is understood they have been in care in Taupo for some time.
The courtroom was very quiet throughout his appearance.
NZPA