Cold case murder charge five years after Kathleen Kawana’s death ‘about bloody time’

The son of a Porirua woman allegedly murdered in 2019 says it’s “about bloody time” someone was charged, after news an arrest has been made.

Kathleen Kawana disappeared from her Titahi Bay home in June 2019, and her body was discovered on a Ngarimu Hill property, near Ruatoria, in August that year.

The property had recently changed hands and the body was found by the new owners who had gone to have a look around, Detective Senior Sergeant Ben Quinn said at the time.

Police yesterday announced they had charged a 47-year-old Flaxmere man, with murdering Kawana.

“We know Kathleen’s family have long hoped for answers and the investigation team has worked hard to get to this point,” Detective Inspector Dave de Lange said.

“Holding to account the person responsible for her murder has been our focus, and we hope this brings some relief to Kathleen’s family.”

A man appeared in the Hastings District Court today and was remanded without plea to reappear in the High Court at Napier on May 31. The man, who has interim name suppression, remains in custody.

Speaking to the Herald today, Kawana’s son, Tedde Ratana said it was “about bloody time” a charge was laid.

It was a long time to wait, “but you reap what you sow”, he said.

Kawana’s daughter, Hinerangi Ratana, said: “There’s not much words at the moment but what I can say is that God is great and we, the family, will definitely be seeing better days from this point onwards,” she said.

Kathleen Kawana holds a portrait of her daughter Iriaka, who was tragically killed after being crushed by a tree in 2005.

Another daughter has previously posted about her mother on social media “not a day goes by that we don’t wish she was still here with us”.

In the post from one year ago, she urged anyone with information to “be brave and go to police”.

“Any info big or small would really help in some way... Share and post whanau we need this to get out there so we can have closure.

“I don’t wanna wait a decade for us to get justice.”

Kawana, 46, was born and brought up in Flaxmere, Hastings, and moved to Porirua.

“She was the middle child of five siblings, she was a bubbly kid, she was always happy-go-lucky,” said her uncle after her death in 2019.

“She was also a typical mother - bringing her kiddies up.”

Melissa Nightingale is a Wellington-based reporter who covers crime, justice and news in the capital. She joined the Herald in 2016 and has worked as a journalist for 10 years.