More details of the night Christchurch woman Angela Blackmoore was murdered in 1995 have been revealed in the High Court.
Her mother waited on the phone while Blackmoore, who was scared of being left alone, secured the house late at night. She was found dead hours later.
Rebecca Wright-Meldrum knew Blackmoore well, and the Crown alleges it was that relationship that helped Blackmoore's killer gain entry to a home that was well-secured.
The court heard how paranoid Blackmoore was about being home alone.
Detective Sergeant Todd Hamilton read a statement he took from her mother Pauline Keane at the time, who had spoken with Blackmoore on the phone the night she was murdered.
"I told her to go and check all the windows and doors. She went and did that, she was away from the phone for about three minutes. She came back on the phone and said everything was locked up," said Det Sgt Hamilton from Keane's statement.
The Crown's case alleges that Wright-Meldrum and Jeremy Powell went to the Wainoni address armed with a bat and a knife. They said it was a contract killing, that Powell was hired by co-accused Peter Hawken.
Her then-partner Laurie Anderson was at work on the night of August 17, 1995. Blackmoore ordered pizza which was delivered just before 9pm.
In the pizza delivery driver's statement, she described only being at the property for two minutes and didn't have to knock at the door.
"I could hear voices in the background but I'm not sure if it was just TV. I didn't actually see anyone and the woman didn't indicate if anyone else was there," the statement outlined when read out in court.
Anderson's mother also spoke to the 21-year-old and a statement given to the police shows they agreed to talk after a TV show had finished around 9.45pm.
"I tried phoning her three times quickly but still there was no reply. I thought that was funny as she told me she couldn't sleep without Laurie being there."
Under cross-examination, Anderson, who found Blackmoore's body, was shown a photo of the scene and asked if the kitchen chairs were where he remembered.
"I wasn't really looking where the chairs were, sorry, at that time I was more worried about her," Anderson said.
"Ah, yes, more than understandable," said the lawyer.
"I never shifted anything," Anderson replied.
Forensic scientists will continue giving evidence on Thursday.
