A Christchurch truck driver who strangled his former girlfriend with her own leggings and left her partially naked body in her car near the city's airport has been jailed for at least 13 years.
Keith Donald Bonner, 53, was sentenced to the non-parole term in the High Court at Christchurch on Wednesday, after earlier admitting murdering Tracey Lee Morris, 46, in January, the Christchurch Court News website reports.
He could not remember a thing about the killing of the woman he had once described as his greatest friend.
Ms Morris, a Papanui bar worker, was found dead in her car near Christchurch Airport. She was found naked from the breasts down with her leggings still wrapped around her neck from when Bonner strangled her.
She also had head injuries which would have been life threatening and there was a bite mark on her breast.
The two had known each other for 23 years but their relationship had ended in the mid 1990s.
Bonner attacked Ms Morris when she had visited his house and they had been drinking wine.
Bonner's daughter, in a pre-sentence report, said his drinking had increased alarmingly before the attack and had brought out a dark side of his personality.
Justice Graham Lang said a pathologist had been unable to conclude whether Ms Morris' genital injuries were the result of sexual activity, or a kick or punch.
Bonner had not made any inquiry about Ms Morris' welfare after finding blood in his lounge but had set about covering up the evidence.
Crown prosecutor Kathy Bell said there was a sexual dimension to the attack which should have earned Bonner a longer jail term.
Bonner's lawyer Elizabeth Bulger said Bonner was upset and remorseful over the murder but could not remember what had happened.
NZN