Missing Waimate man Anaru Moana: 3 men found guilty of murder

A jury has returned verdicts in the trial of four people accused of murdering Waimata man Anaru Moana in 2021 and dumping his body in the Waitaki River.

Hayden Douglas Burt, Aaron Boden and siblings Cody Boyes and Korina Boyes were jointly charged with murdering Moana.

Anaru Moana was last seen in December 2021. Police believe he was murdered. Photo / Supplied

All four pleaded not guilty to the charge.

But just before 11.30am, the jury returned its verdicts – unanimously finding the three men guilty of murdering Moana.

The group have been on trial in the High Court at Christchurch before Justice Christine Gordon and a jury since the end of September.

The jury heard the final evidence and the closing addresses from the Crown and defence lawyers last week.

They were sent to begin deliberating after Justice Gordon delivered a final summing up of the case and gave them directions on how to proceed.

Defendants Aaron Boden (left), Hayden Burt, and siblings Cody Boyes and Karina Boyes. Photo / George Heard

After considering the evidence for the last few days, the jury indicated to the court this morning that verdicts had been reached.

Burt, Boden and Cody Boyes were all found guilty of murder.

Burt and Boden were also found guilty of other violence, kidnapping and drug charges.

Korina Boyes was found not guilty of murder and the lesser alternative charge of manslaughter.

She was found guilty of a charge of injuring with intent to injure.

All four offenders will be sentenced on Wednesday, December 17.

Crown prosecutor Andrew McRae. Photo / Pool

During the trial, Crown prosecutors Andrew McRae and Shawn McManus told the jury that after Moana’s mother died on December 20, 2021, Korina Boyes picked him up and drove him to Kelceys Bush, near Waimate, on the pretence of walking Boyes’ dog together.

There, Burt and Boden were lying in wait.

The court heard that months earlier, Moana and an associate had allegedly stolen meth and cash totalling about $60,000 from a car belonging to Burt in Oamaru.

Soon after the theft, Moana’s associate was “battered” by Boden and some other men. They dragged him into a car before dropping him in a gravel pit outside Oamaru.

The Crown said Moana was next on the list for payback.

They said all four defendants acted with murderous intent and should be found guilty.