A man accused of stabbing his wife to death and attempting to murder his stepdaughter and her boyfriend in Auckland will go on trial next year.
Brent Donovan Scott, 49, is accused of the murder of Heidi Welman-Scott, 41, and attempting to kill Taryn Leigh Welman, 22, and her boyfriend Matija Miletic, also 22, in the North Shore suburb of Albany on November 27.
He appeared in the High Court at Auckland this morning where a trial date was set for next February.
Scott did not speak during the appearance, in which he stood in the dock in a loose grey T-shirt and glasses, looking straight ahead.
He was remanded in custody to appear for a pre-trial hearing in April.
His trial, which was set down for three weeks, will begin on February 9, 2016.
It is alleged the South African-born Scott went to the family home on Mahoney Dr, where neighbours heard a fight taking place about 8.50am.
Minutes later Ms Welman-Scott was lying dead by the side of the road.
Her daughter and Mr Miletic were seriously wounded - both stabbed several times in the stomach.
Scott was not living at the Mahoney Dr home he bought with his wife 17 years ago.
Court documents listed him as living in Glenfield.
The events sparked a large-scale manhunt for the attacker which saw three schools put in lockdown.
Scott was arrested at Auckland Airport.