‘I told him I loved him and that’s the last time I saw him’
THE grieving partner of a young family man gunned down in Papakura last year says she will never love another man.
Shon Wanahi, 26, died of gunshot wounds following a random confrontation on a Papakura street a year ago.
In the early hours of the morning in March 2016, the father of four was heading to a local bar with three friends when they were ambushed by Isaac Broughton, 29, who was wielding a sawn-off shotgun.
Wanahi’s friend confronted Broughton but was shot in the process and so was Wanahi, who died in hospital shortly after.
Broughton was found guilty of murder following a short trial at the High Court at Auckland in March, where he tried to claim self defense.
Wanahi’s partner of a decade, Sila Taufa, was there for the verdict and says she feels nothing but anger at Broughton for the killing.
‘‘He’s just ruined my life. He’s ruined all of our lives.’’
Taufa stills lives in the Papakura home she shared with Wanahi for just two months before he died.
They had bounced between family homes having applied for various houses over the years but had never secured their own, until one landlord agreed to rent them a modest weatherboard home in a cul-de-sac.
Now the trial has ended, Wanahi’s sister and Taufa’s teenage niece are around to lend a hand with the shopping, housework, and childcare.
Taufa’s eldest son has been struggling at school since his father’s death, and her preschool aged daughter has been drawing pictures of coffins, she says.
‘‘At first it was hard by myself. I wasn’t coping well. Just too much over thinking about what I was going to do, but I’ve had the support of my family, especially my mum.’’ .
She and Wanahi met when she was 14 – she was the girl next door.
Taufa quickly fell in love with Wanahi, who she described as funny, happy, caring, and popular.
Wanahi was a fun person who struggled to stay at home and relax.
His building jobs didn’t tend to stick for long because he was prone to turning up in jandals and a t-shirt, adds Taufa.
On the night of his death Wanahi had dinner with his family.
‘‘The last words he said to me was, ‘I won’t be long’, and, ‘love you mum’,’’ Taufa says.
‘‘I just said ‘love you’, and ‘don’t be long’, and that’s the last time I saw him.’’
She awoke in the middle of the night to police banging on her door.
Taufa was no stranger to the police, and the cops knew Wanahi well – they were crying when they told her the news.
She says she’s not sure what the future holds for her. She’s focusing on her children for now.
‘‘I know I’m not going to be dating anymore. I just want to grow old with my kids.’’
Isaac Broughton will be sentenced in April.