Police closer to solving challenging homicides
A Central District detective says he is “incredibly proud” of his investigators who have secured enough evidence to make arrests in four out of five homicides in the area.
Detective Senior Sergeant Craig Sheridan said a number of officers had been working tirelessly since the first killing in Palmerston North in May 2023.
That incident involved the death of Mongrel Mob member Raniel ‘Q Dogg’ Kiu who was found with fatal stab wounds on Dahlia St.
Sheridan said despite a lengthy and thorough investigation, no charges had been laid in respect of his death.
The case had been handed back to the Coroner who would decide what information could be made public and whether an inquest would be held. He said the case was still considered a homicide but he could not comment any further.
The 35-year-old’s death was followed by that of Hori Gage on August 6.
Also a member of the Mongrel Mob, Gage was shot in his driveway in front of his partner and children.
They had just returned from a day out when he was targeted.
Four people had since been charged in relation to that incident – two men accused of murder, another of driving those males to and from the scene, and one of arson.
Sheridan said the Manawatū Criminal Investigation Branch had led a painstaking investigation into Gage’s death and news of the arrests was a big relief.
He said officers from other regions had been called in to help and this assistance was gratefully received.
One of the biggest challenges for the Central District was its geography and investigators often had to move around for their investigations, Sheridan said.
Another barrier was that several of these homicides were gang-related. It was “no secret” they did not like co-operating with police.
The third homicide came just 15 days after Gage died, when Dayne Rademakers was found with fatal stab wounds in the early hours of August 21.
Police were called to an address on Clyde Cres and Rademakers was taken to hospital where he later died.
Five months after his death police arrested a 43-year-old Shannon man who was now facing a murder charge.
He was granted interim name suppression when he appeared in the Palmerston North District Court in February.
Sheridan said the investigation focused on a small group of people and it had been “really challenging” as they had not been forthcoming with information.
When police told Rademakers’ family about the arrest, they were “overwhelmed”. “The family were delighted we were able to secure enough evidence to make the arrest.”
The fourth homicide was Dean Kahukiwa’s in September 2023.
The third Mobster killed in the area within four months, the 35-year-old’s body was found in a burnt out home on Reeve St in Foxton.
He was from the Wellington area and had recently moved to the small town.
Sheridan said they had “huge assistance” from police in Wellington and it was needed.
The investigation involved a number of people, which had posed its own challenges, but several of them had since been arrested.
One of those was William Maaky OJ Hines who was accused of Kahukiwa’s murder.
Two other men were also charged with his murder, but cannot be named due to suppression orders.
Others had been accused of arson and procuring the murder and were currently going through court.
The final and most recent homicide was that of Damon O’Rourke who died after he was shot on Coromandel Ct on January 20.
It took police just two months to make arrests and yesterday a 21-year-old man appeared in the Palmerston North District Court charged with his murder.
He was arrested on Wednesday at an Awapuni address and alleged to be in possession of a sawn-off shotgun.
When he appeared, tense scenes erupted as a number of people, for both the victim and the accused, clashed inside the courtroom.
Court security and police worked to keep those on both sides of the public gallery separate as the accused was called into the dock.
Men from both sides exchanged words and challenged one another to a fight, while several young men there for the accused stood up pulling gang signs.
After the accused was remanded in custody, and to keep everyone safe, his supporters were made to leave the court house before O’Rourke’s family.
But they stood outside waiting for his loved ones before more than 10 officers made their presence known. Eventually the group left in a vehicle.
The second murder accused had already appeared in the Whangarei District Court on Wednesday.
They were both granted interim name suppression and would reappear in the High Court at Palmerston North in April.
Sheridan said officers were just part way through the investigations, but the arrests they made in all cases were a milestone worth celebrating.