Naomi Lee Morrison (44) appeared before the High Court at Dunedin yesterday where she pleaded guilty to the murder of 41-year-old Ameria Prunella Aroha Charlene Whatuira.
The victim’s body was only found two months after the killing — on the second occasion the police had searched the defendant’s Glenleith home in Dunedin.
Through July last year, Morrison and Ms Whatuira had regular contact by phone and in person, the court heard.
On the afternoon of August 6, the victim left a supermarket with a box of beer, picked up the defendant and drove to the Glenleith property.
Morrison was earlier captured on CCTV at a supermarket the same day while wearing a distinctive black and white poncho — a detail which later became significant for police.
The pair drank alcohol and smoked cannabis that afternoon.
Ms Whatuira sent a message to a friend saying she was "with a good mate".
But just hours later Morrison went from "mate" to murderer, stabbing the victim seven times in the chest and several times in the head.
One of the wounds penetrated the woman’s heart, a postmortem found.
There was no evidence of defensive wounds.
Morrison then put a bin bag over Ms Whatuira’s head, secured it with tape, wrapped the body in bedding and left it on the deck beside her lounge for several days.
The court heard how she poured paint over her victim to mask the odour.
In another attempt at subterfuge, the defendant sent a message to Ms Whatuira’s phone asking how she was.
On August 14, Morrison invited her friend Tialoren Topping over for a drinking session and told her she had something to show her.
Together they rolled the body over the deck, dug a shallow grave and buried her with perfume to cover the smell.
Topping cleaned the garden tools then they resumed drinking.
On September 1, a man approached police alleging a murder had been committed at Tanner Rd and they applied for a search warrant the next day.
When it was granted, a team searched the house and its steep, bushy backyard but a police dog was unable to trace any scent.
Morrison assured officers nothing untoward had gone on.
Two weeks later, however, Ms Whatuira’s family reported her missing and an investigation commenced.
On October 8, police again searched the property and this time found the victim, wrapped in bedding and clothing including the defendant’s poncho.
This time when Morrison was interviewed she admitted socialising with Ms Whatuira, but said she had been picked up late on August 8 and had never seen her again.
The defendant denied any involvement in her death.
Morrison was remanded in custody by Justice Jonathan Eaton and will be sentenced next month to mandatory life imprisonment.
Her minimum non-parole period will be determined by the sentencing judge.
Topping was jailed for 13 months after admitting being an accessory to the murder and later had 11 months added to her sentence on unrelated charges.
Timeline
Aug 6, 2021 — 9.09am: Morrison seen on CCTV at Pak’nSave buying fuel while wearing a distinctive black and white poncho with tassels
1.30pm: Ms Whatuira leaves Gardens New World with a box of beer; speaks to Morrison by phone; picks her up and travels to Tanner Rd
That afternoon, Ms Whatuira messages a friend "I’m with a good mate"
Sometime in the evening, Morrison stabs the victim to death, wraps her body in bedding and leaves it on her deck
Aug 10: Morrison messages Ms Whatuira "what you doing?"
Aug 14: Morrison invites Tialoren Topping over for a drinking session; they bury the body in a shallow grave
Sept 1: Man approaches police voicing suspicions of murder
Sept 3: Police and a dog team search the property but find nothing
Sept 16: Family reports Ms Whatuira missing
Oct 8: Police search the Tanner Rd address again and find the body wrapped in Morrison’s poncho
May 18, 2022: Topping is jailed for 13 months for being an accessory to murder
Sept 9: Morrison pleads guilty to murder
Oct 31: Morrison will be sentenced in the High Court at Dunedin
