A man arrested after a woman’s body was found in the back seat of a car after an alleged hit-and-run has been charged with murder.



Matthew Kinghorn, 27, appeared in the New Plymouth District Court before Judge Josephine Bouchier this morning.



Kinghorn was arrested and charged with the manslaughter of Anne Elizabeth McCullough after the alleged hit-and-run on Frankley Rd, New Plymouth, on Saturday.



However, police have now withdrawn the charge of manslaughter and introduced the charge of murder.



Judge Bouchier remanded Kinghorn in custody until November 8.



The accused stood in the dock with his head bowed and his right hand bandaged. He offered no plea.



Police claim McCullough was jogging north on Frankley Rd when she was allegedly killed in a crash then put in the back seat of a purple 1987 Holden Commodore and dumped more than 10 kilometres away.



The windscreen of the car and back bumper were damaged in the crash.



After the crash the car is thought to have driven from Frankley Rd on to Carrington Rd, before driving along Baker Rd and on to Mangorei Rd towards the Junction Rd intersection.



The car and body of McCullough were found at the Meeting of the Waters reserve.