A 28-year-old man, who has name suppression, is representing himself in his trial for the rape and murder of Philippines-born Ms Gotingco at the High Court in Auckland.
The Crown alleges the accused ran the 56-year-old down with his car on May 24, 2014, before raping and murdering her at his North Shore apartment and dumping her body at a cemetery.
Detective Constable Chris Cooper told the court how, following Ms Gotingco's disappearance, police requested GPS information on the defendant's movements around and after the time of the murder.
Data showed "significant movement" around Eskdale Cemetery after 6am on May 25.
Mr Cooper said when he learnt this on the evening of the 26th, his superior officer told him to "get out there now".
The cemetery was "pitch black" he said, and a search and rescue team failed to locate Ms Gotingco.
However, upon receiving more detailed GPS information about the defendant's movements, police located her body in a corner of the cemetery.
Detective Scott Wilson, who also attended the scene, told the court Ms Gotingco's body was hidden under a pile of pine needles, grass and still-attached vines beneath a pine tree.
Her foot was sticking out and he could see she was wearing blue jeans with a white pattern, and was wrapped in a fawn-coloured sheet.
