Malcolm Rewa trial: Defence lawyer suggests Susan Burdett's son may have killed mother

He has spent more than 20 years behind bars, accused of one of the most controversial cases in a generation.

The son of murder victim Susan Burdett has told the High Court in Auckland this morning he was concerned for the safety of his mother when he found out she hadn't been to work for two days.

Dallas McKay has been giving evidence on day two of the High Court trial of Malcolm Rewa who is accused of killing Ms Burdett in 1992. It is the third time Rewa has been on trial, accused of Ms Burdett's murder.

Mr McKay told the court today how he heard reports on the radio that, "a 39-year-old woman living alone in Papatoetoe has been found bludgeoned to death".

He told the court that he thought it couldn't be his mum but when he rang her workplace and learned she hadn't been there for the past two days, he became very concerned it could be her.

Mr McKay also said he rang his mother around 11.30pm on the night the Crown says she was murdered three times and got no reply. He assumed she must have gone to bed.

Ms Burdett's body was found at her home on that Wednesday, two days after the Crown says she was murdered.

Mr McKay says police viewed him as a suspect in his mother's murder "pretty much straight away".

The court's heard how he inherited a lot of money as well as his mother's car and house after she was killed. 

Under cross examination, Rewa's lawyer Paul Chambers put it to Mr McKay that he had ample time to drive from Whangārei, let yourself into her home and kill his mother.

Mr McKay replied "you’re joking".

Some aspects of Mr McKay’s evidence has been suppressed.

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