A Christchurch court has heard how a man, accused of murdering a builder, told people he'd kill his partner if she ever cheated on him.
David Benbow has been accused of murdering his friend, Michael McGrath, in 2017, but a body has never been found in the case.
A neighbour and friend, Pamela Barnes, told the court of an odd conversation she'd had with Benbow about his ex-partner.
Barnes was asked to recall the accused's words: "If she had an affair on him, that he would kill her, cut her up, and put her in the septic tank.
"He also fed on from that. He'd also said he would bury her in her car, where no one could find them, and he was giggling about it.
"Yeah, we found it was a little bit strange to be that precise about what you would do."
The Crown's case centres around a motive that Benbow's partner left him and began seeing McGrath.
The 49-year-old builder went missing in May 2017, five-and-a-half years ago.
McGrath's body has never been found. His disappearance triggered a huge manhunt, including intensive searches in the suburb of Halswell, near his home.
Benbow denies the murder charge.
The case is being heard in the High Court in Christchurch and is set down for seven weeks.
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