This article was first published on RNZ.

The man who murdered 18 year old Ariki Rigby in 2022 has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum non-parole period of 12 years.

She was brutally killed following an argument sparked by her wearing a gang member’s t-shirt, and her body was found in a burnt out car in Havelock North in September 2022.

Jimmy Heremaia, a 32-year-old orchard worker from Auckland pleaded guilty in February to the murder, was sentenced in the Napier High Court on Friday.

Also in court was Ropine Paul, 29, a labourer from Havelock North, who pleaded guilty to arson and was sentenced to 12 months home detention.

The public gallery was packed with Ariki’s family, more than a dozen police, and several family members of the defendants.

Ariki’s sister Anahera spoke in court, visibly emotional as she refused to look at her sister’s murdered, instead facing the judge as she talked about the crushing pain of losing Ariki.

“Ariki was not just my sister, but my best friend. Someone I could never live without.

“The way she was taken from me so violently and tragically turned my life into a nightmare. Despite this deep pain I refuse to let it break me,” Anahera said.

Justice McHeron acknowledged her statement, commending her on the quest to find Rigby and her killer.

“Just as you cared for her in life, you played an important part in the search for her, and identifying her,” he said.

Ariki’s father Peta Rigby faced Heremaia as he read his victim impact statement, and was supported by a member from his church.

Heremaia wouldn’t look up as Peta spoke to him, telling the man who murdered his daughter that he forgave him.

“I forgive you... have a good life brother. Amen,” Peta Rigby said.

Ariki’s mother Maimaru Ngahuka also spoke, shaking and crying as she described the years of pain from losing her child.

“The death left me with pain. Aching pain, burning pain... It’s a constant reminder on a daily basis that my baby has gone. It does not go away and it has caused me to become lost to no end,” she sobbed.

Maimaru does not forgive Heremaia for killing Ariki.

“I hate you for what you have done. You had a choice, and you chose to murder my Ariki... you’ve taken her dreams, her future, her life.

“I ask that this sentence never be paroled, as the only justice for our Ariki,” she said.

Justice McHeron praised Ariki’s family’s strength in speaking in court before her killer.

“Together these words from her whanau are so powerful in facing grief and loss, but you are determined.

“These glimmers of the power of forgiveness will restore your strength and bring you ever slowly from darkness into light,” said McHeron.

‘He had every opportunity to provide assistance’

Crown lawyer Steve Manning asked the judge to impose a starting point for sentencing of 13.5 years of imprisonment for Heremaia, who struck her several times on the head with a weapon during an argument, and she was knocked out.

“His first thought was how do I get away with this? He had every opportunity to provide assistance... But he immediately started looking for somewhere to dispose of her body,” he said.

The Crown argued it was a particularly callous act to burn her body, and has led to further distress for her family.

“That has really impacted her whanau significantly. It was designed by him to obliterate evidence... Considerable thought went into it,” said Manning.

Heremaia’s lawyer Sumudu Thode told the court that Heremaia took full responsibility and wrote a statement.

“My deepest apology and sorry to the family of Ariki Rigby for my stupid and careless actions of mine that took the life of their beloved family member... there are no words to describe it... I’m truly sorry for all the pain and hurt I caused to Ariki’s family,” she quoted from Heremaia’s letter.

She said a minimum non-parole period of 13.5 years was appropriate.

While Paul’s lawyer Matt Phelps set out a case for the defendant not to be put in prison, and said he was a hardworking man and entered an early guilty plea.

“This offending does not require imprisonment sir,” he said.

The summary of facts, detailing the events leading to Ariki’s death, said that Heremaia - a patched Mongrel Mob member - and Rigby met three weeks before her death, forming a close connection and communicating regularly.

On 31 August, Ariki wore Heremaia’s Mongrel Mob t-shirt out in public.

“She... was confronted by another patched member of the Mongrel Mob who saw the act as a serious breach of the gang’s rules,” the summary said.

“Mr Heremaia was instructed by his seniors to retrieve the t-shirt from Ms Rigby, which he did later that day.”

A few days later Heremaia learned his patch had been taken from his family home. The Crown said that was because Ariki had worn the t-shirt.

Heremaia picked up Ariki and took her to “an isolated location” where they argued before she swung a weapon at him.

“He blocked her, before overpowering her and taking the weapon from her,” the summary said.

“He went on to use it to strike her several times including to the head.”

Ariki died from those injuries.

Heremaia then placed her body in the car and drove to Paul’s home, requesting his help to “get rid” of the body.

They drove to a remote car park by a river and used petrol to set fire to the car, with Ariki’s body inside.

At the time of Ariki’s funeral, a family spokesperson said she was a beautiful, passionate person, who lived life at “full throttle”.

Heremaia was arrested in September last year, and Paul was arrested the following month.

The arrests followed a plea from Ariki’s family for people to come forward with information.

Ariki’s death was initially treated as unexplained, before police launched a homicide investigation.

They reviewed their response after officers checking on the car failed to realise there was a body inside it for two days - initially thinking it was the body of an animal.

By Alexa Cook of RNZ.