Manukau apartment homicide: Woman pleads not guilty to murder of Samantha Whitehouse

A 36-year-old Manukau woman accused of having killed another woman at a South Auckland apartment block has pleaded not guilty to murder.

The defendant stood in the dock in the High Court at Auckland today as defence lawyer Daniel Schellenberg entered the plea on her behalf.

She continues to have interim name suppression, with a hearing on the matter set for November. However, interim suppression lapsed today for Samantha Bridgette Antoinetta Whitehouse, who she is accused of having killed.

Whitehouse was found dead on September 3 at the Lakewood Plaza apartment complex in Manukau.

Emergency services were called to the Lakewood Court address, which is one of South Auckland's newest high-rise apartment blocks, at around 4.30am that day.

"On arrival, a woman was located deceased at the scene," Detective Inspector Shaun Vickers said at the time.

"Another woman was located at the address and taken into custody."

The 15-storey building near the Southern Motorway has around 500 residents in 151 units and is Manukau's tallest apartment block.

"The building's normally really good, everyone knows everyone, you always get talking to people in the elevator, so it's a really friendly facility," one resident told the Herald earlier this month.

At today's hearing, Justice Neil Campbell set a trial date for October 2023.

The woman was remanded in custody to await her next appearance.