Victim’s body hidden
A South Taranaki man has admitted murdering his girlfriend, hiding her body and draining her bank accounts.
Tyson Ellis Ngatai, 26, pleaded guilty in the High Court at Whanganui yesterday to murdering Feona McKay-Patea, stealing her car and emptying her accounts of more than $1000.
The court’s public gallery was filled with McKay-Patea’s whana¯u, many of whom broke into tears as the harrowing details of her final minutes were read to the court. Many were wearing fluorescent red shirts with a photograph of McKayPatea imprinted on the front.
The court heard Ngatai was visiting his partner at her home in Castlecliff, Whanganui, on September 20.
It’s not clear what day McKayPatea
was killed, but she had arranged for her young children to stay with whana¯ u so she and Ngatai could spend time together.
One night after dinner the pair began arguing about how they would spend the rest of the night.
The altercation became physical and Ngatai strangled McKayPatea until she lost consciousness.
A post-mortem revealed blood spots around her throat and fractures to her neck, injuries Justice Christine Grice said were consistent with strangulation.
There was also evidence of blunt force trauma to her head.
Ngati dragged her body to another room, covered her with blankets and closed the curtains.
He stole her car and eftpos card, and bought alcohol from a liquor store.
He also took cash out at a money machine and bought petrol. He went to a bar that night and returned to McKay-Patea’s home on two occasions in the following days.
He took her cell phone and sent messages to her whana¯u when they questioned why she hadn’t retrieved her children.
He pretended to be McKayPatea and told them not to worry.
‘‘Their last contact with their sister wasn’t with their sister, but you. That has caused a high level of distress,’’ the judge told Ngatai.
In total, he made six money transfers, withdrawing everything in her account.
He abandoned her car on September 26 and a missing person report was filed. Her body was found on October 3 and Ngatai was arrested the same day.
On the same day as Ngatai first appeared in court, hundreds marched the streets in her memory, denouncing violence against women.
Ngatai was kept in custody and will reappear for sentencing in August.