The man charged with the murder of teenager Ariki Rigby and the arson of a burnt-out car her body was found in has pleaded guilty.
Jimmy Heremaia, 32, pleaded guilty to charges of murder and arson in the High Court at Napier today.
Three weeks before Rigby’s death, Heremaia met the 18-year-old during a visit by her to the Hawke’s Bay region, with the pair forming a close connection and communicating with each other regularly.
Rigby came into possession of a Mongrel Mob T-shirt belonging to Heremaia, who was a patched member of the Mongrel Mob’s Flaxmere chapter, and wore it out in public on August 31.
Another patched member of the Mongrel Mob confronted her over this as they saw the act as a “serious breach of the gang’s rules”.
Heremaia was instructed to retrieve the shirt from Rigby and he did so later that day.
Two days later, Heremaia received word that his Mongrel Mob patch had been removed from his home.
“This was because Ms Rigby had worn the t-shirt, which was the catalyst for the events that followed,” the Crown said in the summary of facts.
Later that evening, Heremaia picked up Rigby and took her to an isolated location where they argued.
Rigby swung a weapon she had taken with her for self defence at Heremaia, who then blocked her before overpowering her and taking the weapon from her.
He struck Rigby several times, including to the head, and the Crown alleged these blows caused fatal injuries.
A friend, Ropine Paul, later helped Heremaia drive the car to the car park in Havelock North where it was set on fire with petrol.
Following a two-year police investigation Heremaia was arrested in September last year.
Paul, 29, was arrested in October and earlier this month admitted being a party to arson.
Detective Inspector David De Lange said police acknowledged the guilty plea as well as Ariki’s whānau who have “waited so long to see the person responsible held accountable for her tragic death”.
“We also acknowledge those Police staff who worked meticulously over a long period of time to piece together the evidence that has brought about this result today.”
The two men were expected to stand trial at the High Court in Napier in November with the case set down for three weeks.
