Robert Hohua, charged with Opotiki murder, appears in court

The Wellington St, Opotiki, address where a woman was found dead. Photo / Opotiki News

A man has appeared in court charged with the murder of a pregnant Opotiki woman last night.

Robert Roupere Hohua, 35, was remanded without plea in the Whakatane District Court to appear in the High Court at Tauranga on December 14.

He was charged with murdering an Opotiki woman at a Wellington St house last night.

An area of the street was today cordoned off.

Neighbours said the deceased woman was pregnant.

Another neighbour, a woman living down a driveway behind the roadside properties, said the first she knew about the drama was when she drove out in the morning.

"I drove straight out into the cordon," she said.

"I hadn't heard a thing during the night."

A police spokeswoman said police were called to the property at 10.13pm following reports of a domestic dispute.

"On arrival at the scene a male was taken into custody and police officer performed CPR on a woman at the address, but this was unsuccessful."

A homicide investigation was launched.