Cannabis behind fatal Ka¯whia shooting
Intruders who were shot – one fatally – trying to steal a ‘‘good earn’’ of cannabis buds had insider knowledge of the home they targeted, a court has heard.
Orren Scott Williams, 38, is on trial, accused of murder and seriously injuring the three other men in the June 2019 incident in rural Waikato.
The tip-off and plan to steal his bags of cannabis buds came from a family friend, Emma Salvation.
She spied them when she bought a tinny from Williams at his home, which overlooks Ka¯whia Harbour, the night of the home invasion, she said.
After arguing with Williams, Salvation got so angry that she told one intruder, Shaun Te Kanawa, that it’d be a ‘‘good earn’’ if he stole it, she told a jury at the Hamilton High Court yesterday.
He could jump into a window, grab the weed, and get out undetected.
‘‘I told him that if .. he got caught, he would get shot.’’
She and Te Kanawa hatched a plan, and she drew maps of the house, she said.
When she had to go home, Te Kanawa was picked up by a friend.
Not long after, in the early hours of June 6, he was among the four who broke into Williams’ Hauturu home with weapons – but Williams fought back.
He faces a murder charge for the death of Faalili Moleli Fauatea and a charge of wounding the other three men with intent to cause grievous bodily harm: Te Kanawa, Joe Tumaialu, and Grayson Toilolo.
Around 4.15am, Salvation got missed calls and messages from Te Kanawa, one saying ‘‘hospital’’ and another ‘‘I’m shot, babe’’.
Salvation later pleaded guilty to a charge of burglary, and was sentenced to 12 months’ home detention, the jury heard.
But defence counsel Philip Morgan QC challenged Salvation, suggesting she ‘‘made up a big story’’ to justify arranging a theft from her good friend’s husband.
Salvation only admitted her involvement after police searched her ute and found the drawings of Williams’ house, he said.
Morgan asked if she was justifying her behaviour by accusing Williams of dealing methamphetamine.
‘‘I haven’t accused him. I didn’t want to say certain things. It’s the police that made me,’’ she replied.
The trial is in its second day and is expected to take up to two weeks.