Alexander James William Merritt. While being interviewed by police, a 21-year-old cleaner accused of murder stood by previous comments that he did not care the victim was dead. Detective Graeme Smaill told the defendant a colleague had reported that on the day of Ms Ross's death, Merritt had said he was not concerned by the incident. “A woman's just lost her life and you don't care she's dead because she spoke to you rudely?” the officer asked. Merritt told him a similar incident had happened once in the past, when he awoke with scratches on his back.

Source: Otago Daily Times October 12, 2016 22:41 UTC