A man accused of killing his fiancee's daughter while on a holiday in the Blue Mountains also interfered with her body after her death, court documents allege.
Justin Stein, 31, is charged with the murder of Charlise Mutten, whose body was found in a barrel dumped on the banks of the Colo River, west of Sydney, in January.
Mr Stein did not appear in person when his case was heard in Penrith Local Court today, where the prosecution told the court they had added an additional charge.
Court documents show Mr Stein has now also been charged with "improperly interfere with a corpse or human remains" and alleges he "did offer an indignity" to her remains.
The documents also show prosecutors will now allege the alleged murder was domestic violence related, a classification his defence team will contest.
Mr Stein's lawyer Peter Katsoolis told the ABC outside court his team will argue the case is "not a domestic matter".
"We're contesting this is not legitimately a domestic matter... on the basis there was no prior relationship with the deceased," he said.
Mr Katsoolis said they would argue Mr Stein's relationship with Charlise's mother Kallista Mutten had been brief.
Charlise was first reported missing by her mother while they were on holiday at Mr Stein's family home in Mt Wilson.
Her disappearance sparked a massive search of bushland and involved hundreds of police, State Emergency Service and Rural Fire Service volunteers in January.
The nine-year-old was found near the Colo River four days later and Mr Stein was charged with her murder shortly after.
Mr Stein is also facing firearm offences after police seized two guns from bushland in February.
Court documents allege Mr Stein stole the two guns from a neighbouring home of the property in August last year. He is also charged with one count of aggravated break and enter.
Police do not believe the shotgun and rifle were used to kill the Tweed Heads schoolgirl, despite confirming she died from a single gunshot wound.
Mr Stein will remain behind bars until his next court appearance in February.
