Elderly woman allegedly murdered at her Christchurch home named

An elderly woman allegedly murdered in a Christchurch hillside suburb a fortnight ago can now be identified.

Frances Anne Phelps, who was known as Faye, was found dead at her Mt Pleasant home on 7 October.

Police believe she was killed on 4 October.

The man charged with the 83-year-old's murder appeared at the High Court at Christchurch on Friday morning, but did not enter a plea.

Justice Cameron Mander continued the accused's interim name suppression and remanded him in custody until his next appearance in December.

The man, who police say was known to Phelps, first appeared in court on 8 October.

Earlier this month, Phelp's daughter told RNZ family and friends were struggling to understand how something so horrible could have happened to such a lovely person.

She said her mother was a kind and gentle soul who was treasured by everyone.

"It's obviously very difficult to have someone wrenched away from you so suddenly and unexpectedly in such circumstances. It feels like being in the middle of a movie, surreal and unbelievable," she said.

"It's had a wide-reaching effect with my mum having touched so many lives with her generous nature. Everyone is struggling to cope and understand how something so horrible could have happened to such a lovely person."

The daughter said her mother was a kind and generous woman who gave a lot to her community, and a keen singer and actress with a strong Christian faith.

"Mum was a person who was always thinking of others and wanting to help them in any way she could. She was such a fit 83-year-old that we thought we would have her with us a lot longer than we did," she said.

"She was still gardening and going for walks around the hill. She had a quiet grace and elegance about her but also had a real inner strength."

The woman had lived in the same house for more than 50 years with her husband Bill, who died two years ago.

Police are still wanting to hear from anyone who heard or saw anything suspicious between 10am on Friday 4 October to 4pm on Sunday 6 October in the Mt Pleasant Road or Bellview Terrace area.

They have asked if anyone has any information, no matter how small, to contact Police online at 105.police.govt.nz, clicking "Update Report", or call 105.

Information can also be provided anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 0800 555 111 using the reference number 241007/1228.

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