KEY POINTS:
An Auckland woman who police believe was strangled in her own home used to feed the dog of the next-door neighbour accused of murdering her, an Auckland court heard yesterday.
Beryl Campbell, 84, was found dead sitting on the couch of her Henderson home on February 22.
Her death was initially thought to be from natural causes but police upgraded it to a homicide inquiry after receiving new information.
Her neighbour in the adjoining unit, Wayne John Reid, 57, was charged with her murder 11 days later.
The Crown case against Reid is that he strangled Mrs Campbell, stole two cameras and later returned to her home to cover up fingerprints.
Giving evidence in day two of a depositions hearing in the Waitakere District Court yesterday, Mr Reid's brother Glen Reid said Mrs Campbell sometimes brought bones and meat to a dog at his brother's property. She also paid money to his brother for his role on the "body corp" for their units and for a wheelie bin they shared.
Mr Reid was questioned by defence counsel Peter Winter and Crown prosecutor Christine Gordon about encounters with his brother before and after Mrs Campbell's death.
Much of those details are suppressed.
Mr Reid described how his brother became withdrawn and had stopped working in the lead-up to Mrs Campbell's death.
He told the court he took time off work to look after his brother and that he stopped sleeping properly out of worry for Reid, who had lost 10kg as his mental health deteriorated.
Glen Reid's anguish became evident when he broke down in the witness stand after he revealed finding his brother hanging on a fence in a suicide attempt - a day after the family tried to get professional care for him.
Court adjourned briefly to allow him time to compose himself.
When he returned, Mr Reid said his sister had tried to get mental health care for their brother, but was turned away.
"She was told they wouldn't take him, or couldn't take him, unless his condition was critical. When I found that out, I thought 'what a joke'," Mr Reid said.
"As far as I was aware at that stage his condition was more than critical."
Further depositions are expected from pathologists and embalmers who looked after Mrs Campbell's body when the hearing continues later this year.
