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William Holtz has been found guilty of murdering South Auckland liquor store owner Shiu Prasad.
Mr Prasad, 54, was stabbed to death in the Liquor Warehouse in Mangere on the morning of August 29, 2000.
The jury in the two-week trial today returned their verdict in the High Court at
Auckland, after retiring yesterday afternoon.
Holtz, 42, of Mangere East, was also found guilty of robbing Mr Prasad's shop the day of the murder. He was found not guilty of an attempt to rob Mr Prasad on July 3, 2000.
Holtz was charged with three other aggravated robberies of Indian-owned businesses in the Mangere area. He was today found guilty of one of these charges, the robbery of the Super Seven Superette in Mangere on June 17, 2000.
Holtz will be sentenced in April in the High Court at Auckland.
During the trial, pathologist Professor Timothy Koelmeyer said Mr Prasad suffered 10 knife wounds and died from blood loss and shock.
Professor Koelmeyer said Mr Prasad suffered none of the classical injuries - cuts to the backs of the hands and arms - of a victim trying to defend himself.
The Crown said Holtz stabbed Mr Prasad in the back of his shop during a "blitz attack", and stole $220 from the till because he could not wait for his benefit to be paid into his account the next day.
The defence said it was a case of mistaken identity.
Holtz, whose bloody footprints were found in the store, allegedly told police he went inside after hearing someone crying and was confronted by a robber brandishing a knife.
Holtz, the defence said, fled after being confronted by Mr Prasad's assailant.
Defence lawyer Murray Gibson said during the trial that Holtz had no reason to steal money - his benefit was due the next day, he had a job prospect lined up for the coming weekend and could borrow money from his son's moneybox if needed.
Mr Gibson said it would not make sense to rob a store in the morning when the tills were nearly empty and there were people around.
The defence said Mr Prasad was instead attacked by a man who entered the shop with the intent to kill, rather than rob.
