At a sentencing at the High Court in Rotorua today, Courtney Patricia Churchward, 18, was given a life sentence with a minimum 17-year non-parole jail term for her part in bludgeoning 78-year-old Mr Rowe to death in his bedroom on November 25 last year.
Her cousin, Lori-lea Waiora Te Wini, 15, was given the same length sentence for her part in the crime -- committed when she was 14, making her one of the youngest killers in New Zealand history.
Churchward, who emerged as the ringleader during the trial, said the pair had only wanted to commit burglary, and the bashing, which involved the use of a walking stick and metal road, was only intended to knock Mr Rowe out.
During the trial a pathologist described Mr Rowe's head injuries as being like a boiled egg being smashed against a bench. The pair were found guilty of the crime following a jury trial which ended late last month.
