Peter Scammell, 44, faced Darwin Local Court on Thursday after being extradited from Melbourne.
He has been charged with murdering nurse Katrina Hawker, 43, on September 12, 2020, at their Bakewell home in Palmerston.
The cause of her death was found to be an overdose of alcohol and the sleeping medication Temazepam.
At an inquest into Ms Hawker's death in June 2024, Northern Territory Coroner Elisabeth Armitage said she believed it "unlikely" she took her own life.
The coroner referred the matter to the NT Police Commissioner and Director of Public Prosecutions for further investigation, leading to the murder charge being laid.
Darwin Local Court judge Sally Ozolins granted Scammell bail on strict conditions, including wearing an electronic monitoring device, not leaving the Northern Territory and surrendering his passport.
He must also report to police weekly and post a $2000 assurance.
Scammell's lawyer Richard Bryson told the judge his client was not a flight risk and had co-operated with authorities during the police and coronial investigations into Ms Hawker's death.
He said Scammell was traumatised by the death, had been unable to work since, and had been travelling with his new partner.
"He has done nothing but attempted to get on with his life in tragic circumstances."
Mr Bryson described the proceedings against his client as a "weak circumstantial case".
Scammell will return to court on February 4.
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