The 21-year-old accused of murdering Dunedin student Virginia Ford will reappear in court on April 15.
The man was granted name suppression, as well as suppression of his address and occupation, during his appearance in the Palmerston North District Court this morning.
The man was remanded in custody and no bail application was made.
The man was initially charged with assaulting a female and granted interim name suppression when he appeared in the Palmerston North District Court on Saturday.
Miss Ford, a Massey University student, was killed at a private apartment block where she lived close to the university, on Friday night, police say.
Detective Sergeant Dave Thompson, of Central district police, said police would not discuss Miss Ford's injuries or cause of death, the results of Miss
Ford's postmortem or the nature of her relationship to the offender, because the matter was before the court.
Police and ambulance staff were called to the apartment block about 10pm on Friday following reports of a dispute.
"We believe an argument has occurred between the victim and a 21-year-old man,'' Det Sgt Thompson said.
Attempts by paramedics to resuscitate Miss Ford were unsuccessful and she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Miss Ford's parents live in Mornington, Dunedin, where the 20-year-old student grew up.
"We have spoken with the victim's parents and are supporting them while they contact other family members,'' Det Sgt Thompson said.
"The services of Victim Support have also been offered to the victim's family.''
The scene examination of the apartment was completed at the weekend and police were not looking for anyone else in relation to the homicide.
