It is alleged Grace Millane was murdered sometime between December 1 and 2. Picture: FacebookThe man charged with the murder of UK backpacker Grace Millane allegedly left a very eerie comment on her Facebook page before she vanished.
The man charged with the murder of British backpacker Grace Millane in New Zealand allegedly left chilling Facebook note before her death, reports news.com.au.
The man, who remains anonymous due to legal reasons, appeared in Auckland District Court on Monday morning and did not enter a plea.
The 26-year-old is charged with the murder of the 22-year-old from Essex, southeast England.
Chilling comment.
It has emerged that just 11 minutes before she was last seen alive, a Facebook user alleged to be the accused man left a chilling comment on the talented artist’s Facebook profile picture, writing “beautiful very radiant” (sic) with an upside down smiley face emoji.
However, the comment has since been deleted.
The body of Ms Millane was found in a section of bush just near Scenic Drive in West Auckland’s Waitakere Ranges on Sunday, following an extensive search.
She was last seen alive allegedly in the company of a man on Saturday, December 1, at the CityLife Hotel in Auckland.
It was the second leg of a year-long trip around the world after Ms Millane finished her studies at the University of Lincoln in the UK’s East Midlands.
Collective shame.
On Monday, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern made an emotional apology to the family of Ms Millane, saying her nation feels a collective shame over her death.
Ms Ardern held back tears as she opened a press conference with an apology.
“From the Kiwis I have spoken to, there is this overwhelming sense of hurt and shame that this has happened in our country, a place that prides itself on our hospitality … especially to those who are visiting our shores,” she said.
“On behalf of New Zealand, I want to apologise to Grace’s family. Your daughter should have been safe here and she wasn’t and I’m sorry for that.”
The accused's next appearance will be in the High Court on January 23.
