Killing ‘was case of mistaken identity’

The murder of Marcus Luke Tucker was a case of mistaken identity, the Crown alleged at the start of the trial of Peter John Carroll at the High Court in Christchurch yesterday.

Crown prosecutor Claire Boshier alleged the fatal bashing by Carroll occurred in retribution for an earlier drugs robbery.

She said someone nicknamed ‘‘Ruckus’’ had carried out the robbery but it was Tucker’s nickname too. The Crown alleges 36-year-old Tucker was bashed to death at a house in Bishopdale on April 24, 2016, and his bashed and burnt body, with wrists and ankles tied, was found wrapped in carpet in a drain near Lake Ellesmere the next day.

Justice Davidson told the jury Carroll went on trial for the murder earlier this year, but the trial was stopped early.

Carroll’s defence counsel, Tim Fournier, said Carroll accepted he caused the death but he would give evidence to say he had no intention to kill or cause grievous bodily harm.

This was not murder, but simply manslaughter, Fournier said.

Boshier said a man, who knew Carroll, had been robbed of the drugs he was dealing in, by three gun-wielding men.

The drugs would have been sold for $10,000.

The victim thought one of the robbers was named Ruckus. He wanted Ruckus ‘‘roughed up’’ or his ‘‘head taken off’’.

Carroll and a friend found out Tucker was at an address in Bishopdale, and he was introduced to one of them as ‘‘Ruckus’’.

Carroll went to the Bishopdale house and began bashing Tucker with a heavy metal steering lock while he lay in bed asleep. The beating continued while Tucker screamed for help.

He died of blunt force trauma to the head. Carroll’s friend texted about having the ‘‘prize’’ for the robbery victim who then met Carroll near Ellesmere where the body was doused in petrol and set alight because Carroll said he wanted to get rid of traces of his own DNA.

The body was found fishermen on Anzac Day 2016.

Boshier said traces of Tucker’s blood were found on Carroll’s shoes and in the boot of the borrowed car he was using.

Carroll was seen later that day with blood on his hands and clothing. Carroll told that witness: ‘‘He got what he deserved and it’s all in the past now.’’

The trial is continuing. by