Jack Hargreaves, pictured in the dock of the High Court at Hamilton during an earlier appearance. Photo / RNZ
Jack Hargreaves’ brother and flatmate were trying to get into his bedroom when he fired three shotgun rounds through the door they were standing in front of.
A short time later, after the terrified flatmate had fled the Hamilton home, Hargreaves spotted his older brother Joshua lying injured on the ground outside.
The 20-year-old rolled his brother over, heard him groan, and then walked off. He didn’t even call 111.
Today Hargreaves appeared in the High Court at Hamilton, where he pleaded guilty to Joshua’s murder, along with charges of discharging a firearm with reckless disregard at his flatmate, unlawfully carrying a firearm, armed robbery of a Suzuki Swift, and failing to stop for police on Great South Rd.
Justice Kiri Tahana convicted Hargreaves on all charges and remanded him in custody for sentencing on March 31.
The lengthy summary of facts details what happened on the night of July 9 last year.
Joshua Hargreaves had lived at the Belmont Ave property in Chartwell for a number of years before his friend moved in January last year.
Jack Hargreaves moved into the house the following month.
However, within a few months, the relationship between the brothers began to deteriorate, moreso when Jack suffered an injury, which meant he was unable to work.
He was instead regularly at home as his brother and flatmate went to work.
Jack regularly began going into his brother’s bedroom and stealing his marijuana despite the plant being kept in a locked safe.
While living at the house, the flatmate unlawfully stored three firearms in the wardrobe of his bedroom: a 13-inch pump-action shotgun, a Dill black powder shotgun and a Ruger 10-22 rifle with a silencer and scope.
The two shotguns were kept in a hard case that had four locks on it, and the keys were kept on a green lanyard together with his car keys.
The Ruger was also secured with a padlock in a case and kept on the same lanyard that was often left in his bedroom.
The flatmate had shown the brothers the firearms on a number of occasions.
Before the shooting, the flatmate and the victim had become concerned about Jack’s behaviour.
Court documents state he had been “acting strangely” and there was some tension in the house.
After a discussion with Joshua, the flatmate moved his firearms from his bedroom.
On July 9, at 6.30pm, the flatmate took both gun cases from his bedroom but noticed the grey case felt light, and opened it to find it empty.
Both shotguns were missing.
The flatmate immediately told Joshua, and the pair confronted Jack in the doorway of his bedroom about where the firearms were.
The confrontation became heated.
An argument broke out, and the flatmate suggested to Jack that the pair go outside, saying “Come on then, one outs?”
Jack ultimately told the flatmate to “give him an hour to try and look for” the firearms, to which he initially agreed.
However, after five or 10 minutes, the flatmate asked him why he needed an hour and told him he wanted to search his bedroom.
Jack shut his bedroom door and barricaded it with a small TV cabinet, telling the flatmate, “You’re not coming in here”.
Joshua began trying to push open the defendant’s door, but was unable to.
As Joshua stood trying to open the door, Jack fired the Dickinson 13-inch pump-action shotgun three times, one after another.
Joshua was shot in the upper chest as the flatmate ran from the house.
The flatmate could hear Joshua groaning in agony. He didn’t want to leave him, but was too scared to go back.
He was certain Jack would shoot him, given he’d just shot his own brother.
Instead, he ran to a neighbour’s property, but still didn’t feel safe so he ran out on to the street and down Belmont Ave on foot.
As he was running in a local park, he rang 111.
As he spoke to the operator, he noticed Jack walking towards him.
Jack said, “hey bro” in a taunting manner from about 100m away.
Unbeknown to the flatmate, Jack was carrying the shotgun.
The flatmate ran down an alleyway on to the footpath of Bankwood Rd and screamed for help.
A short time later, an emergency call was made by an associate of Jack, and he was told that Jack had just killed his brother.
A second associate then also called 111 and told them Jack had shot his brother through the door and was running from police.
Jack wanted to kill himself and was going to get rid of his phone.
Police arrived at the house about 7pm. The front door was open, and the shotgun was on Jack’s bed.
Joshua was found dead out the back of the house.
By 12.20am, Jack was hitch-hiking on Gordonton Rd.
A motorist spotted Jack with his thumb out, and because it was raining, he decided to turn around and offer him a ride.
Pulling over, he asked him if he was “all good?” and Jack replied that he was going to Rototuna.
He then approached the driver and pointed the shotgun at his face.
With it approximately 30cm from the victim’s face, Jack said, “Get out of the car or die”.
“I will let you live, I just want the car.”
The two occupants got out of the car and walked away, as Jack told them to call police and tell them their car had been stolen.
They called police, and soon afterwards, the Suzuki Swift was spotted by officers on Great South Rd heading toward Ngāruawāhia.
Police activated their flashing lights, but Jack sped off.
Road spikes were eventually laid, and he was arrested.
Jack was co-operative and assisted police with their questions and admitted to taking the two shotguns.
He said he was confronted about the guns and lied to the victims, saying he didn’t have them, before going into his room and barricading himself in.
He admitted firing three shots through the door when his brother and flatmate were trying to open it.
He said he didn’t specifically know who was on the other side of the door when he fired the shots.
After moving through the house with the shotgun, he spotted his brother lying on the ground.
He rolled him over and heard him groan in response.
He left him there and didn’t call 111.
Belinda Feek is an Open Justice reporter based in Waikato. She has worked at NZME for 11 years and has been a journalist for 22.