Richard Leman's partial remains were found at a vacant Rangiora property in 2023. Photo / NZ Herald / Police
A jury has heard the grisly details surrounding the death and dismemberment of Christchurch man Richard Leman – whose partial remains were found in the boot of his abandoned car – on the opening day of his alleged killer’s trial.
Leman, 41, was found dead in the car parked in a garage at an abandoned house in Rangiora in April 2023.
Michael Scott Rodger, 49, was charged with murder.
Police allege he shot Leman – a father of three – and then “decapitated and dismembered” him after smoking methamphetamine.
His trial began this morning in the High Court at Christchurch before Justice Jonathan Eaton and a jury.
It is set to run for four weeks, during which more than 30 witnesses will give evidence.
Opening the Crown case, prosecutor Sean Mallett outlined the details of the alleged murder.
He warned the jury that the evidence they would hear during the trial would be “at times confronting” and “graphic in nature”.
He explained that in the lead up to the alleged murder, Leman was “living a somewhat chaotic lifestyle”.
“He was involved in the consumption and the supply of methamphetamine, which may have been causing him financial problems and drew the attention of gangs,” Mallett said.
“He was having difficulties with his ex-partner relating to the care of their young children, and he harboured concerns at that time that he was going to be arrested for breaching a protection order.”
The court heard that it was through his drug activity that Leman knew the accused.
Mallett said there had been “some animosity” between the men and that came to a head on the night of April 11, 2023.
During the day, Leman smoked methamphetamine with his friend Sara Plimmer at her home before driving her to a location in Rangiora to “conduct a drug deal”.
“CCTV footage shows this taking place at around 9.14pm that evening,” Mallett said.
“Several minutes later, at around 9.17pm, Mr Leman’s motor vehicle can be seen on CCTV pulling up to the Rangiora Burger King drive-through.”
Leman purchased takeaways, and he drove to Morgan Grant’s home on Andrew St.
Leman and Grant – also known as Molly – were friends, and she had asked him to buy her dinner as she had no money.
“Miss Grant and Miss Plummer began eating their Burger King on the bed in Miss Grant’s bedroom, watching TV and chatting about Miss Grant’s puppy,” Mallett said.
“Mr Leman was fossicking around the house trying to find something to smoke another hit of methamphetamine.”
It is alleged that Grant “secretly invited” Rodger to her house, telling him Leman was there.
His “distinctive blue VW” was captured on CCTV at 9.30pm, parking on Andrew St.
Mallett said both Plimmer and Grant would give evidence during the trial about what happened next.
“They will tell you that as they were sitting on the bed, eating their Burger King, they heard arguing coming from an adjoining lounge and so got up to investigate,” he said.
“They found Mr Rodger and Mr Leman standing in the lounge facing each other. Mr Rodger had a gun. The Crown alleges that he shot Mr Leman twice – first, a round into his left leg and then a second fatal shot into his chest.
“No first aid was administered, nor were emergency services called. Within minutes, perhaps less, Richard Leman had passed away.”
An autopsy later revealed that Leman died after a .22 calibre was fired into his chest and travelled through his sternum, lodging itself in the tissue behind his rib cage.
“The bullet had pierced Mr Leman’s aorta, causing his chest cavity to fill with blood,” Mallett said.
“[Rodger] threatened to kill Sara Plimmer and Molly Grant as well. He looted the deceased of the cash and the methamphetamine that he had on him and dragged the body into the spare bedroom of the address.
“He also smashed the phones which Mr Leman on him ... at one stage the trio then sat and smoked methamphetamine for a period.
“Miss Plimmer will explain that she was terrified and was doing what she thought necessary to appease the defendant, to keep him on side and to keep herself safe.”
At 1am Rodger “insisted” on driving Plimmer home.
Mallett said as she got out of the car Rodger “threatened to kill her if she told anybody about what she had seen”.
Hours later, Rodger allegedly drove Leman’s car to an address on Percival St.
On April 16 it was moved again to a vacant property on Tyler St.
At some stage before then – either at Andrew St on the night the victim was killed, or at Percival St in the days following – Mallett alleged Rodger decapitated and dismembered Leman.
His torso was wrapped in plastic and put in the boot of his own car.
“Both his lower legs had been cut off at the knees, as had his right arm at the elbow and his left hand at the wrist,” he revealed.
“There was no head, the body having been decapitated. None of these severed body parts were present alongside the torso and to date, they have never been located by police.”
Mallett said in the days that followed the alleged murder, Rodger spent “lengthy periods of time” at Grant’s home.
“She will explain in her evidence how the defendant had essentially moved in and how she thought that this was so that he could keep an eye on her,” he told the jury.
“The day after Mr Leman was killed [she] purchased various items of cleaning equipment including bleach, carpet cleaner and stain remover in an effort, the Crown says, to conduct a deep clean of their address.
“At Mr Rodger’s direction, she also took steps to try and dispose of [his] motor vehicle. As a result, Miss Grant herself was charged with being an accessory after the fact to this murder.”
Leman’s body was found six days after he died by two teenagers “exploring” the vacant property.
“Due to the smell emanating from the vehicle and the fact that the vehicle had two different number plates, which indicated to them it was stolen, they left the property and reported what they had discovered to adults,” Mallett said.
“Those adults, in turn, contacted the police. Thankfully, the boys at the time were unable to open the boot, and so they did not themselves witness what was inside – that thankless task fell to attending emergency personnel later that evening.
“In that boot, police located the torso of Mr Leman, wrapped in plastic. There was no head, nor were the severed limbs present.
“What was found alongside the body was a hatchet.”
Mallett said a forensic examination confirmed the hatchet had “blood and small pieces of tissue” on it belonging to Leman.
“It is likely that this item was used as part of the dismemberment,” Mallett said.
“The police cannot rule out the possibility that other items were also used, given the severity and extent of what took place.”
Mallett said the jury would also hear evidence about phone calls made by Rodger after Leman’s death.
In those calls, he claims Leman was already dead when he arrived at Grant’s house – and that they had been set up by both Grant and the police.
Leman’s lawyer Pip Hall KC said it was “absolutely essential” the jury keep an open mind throughout the trial and that the Crown evidence was “wrong, inaccurate and unreliable”.
They would, he said, not be able to find Rodger guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
“Mr Rodger and the defence team challenge the truth and reliability of the stories of Molly Grant and Sara Plimmer,” he said.
“Michael Rodger is not guilty. The defence is that Michael Rodger did not shoot [Richard Leman].”
Hall said to convict his client, the jury needed to be sure that the evidence of Grant and Plimmer was “actually true ... reliable and accurate”.
“And are not allegations motivated by other reasons, such as self-preservation or protection of others, or allegations conjured up from them, clouded and distorted by the use of alcohol and meth.
“An issue to look out for ... is whether they are prone to lying, manufacturing evidence and collusion, and getting stories synchronised – because these sorts of matters will obviously affect their reliability and credibility.”
Hall said the Crown narrative of Leman’s death had “no foundation”.
“It is absolutely essential for you to keep an open mind and wait until you’ve heard all the evidence,” he urged.
The trial continues.
Anna Leask is a senior journalist who covers national crime and justice. She joined the Herald in 2008 and has worked as a journalist for 20 years with a particular focus on family and gender-based violence, child abuse, sexual violence, homicides, mental health and youth crime. She writes, hosts and produces the award-winning podcast A Moment In Crime, released monthly on nzherald.co.nz.