KEY POINTS:
Two years ago today 26-year-old Jason Boon was killed, allegedly in a home invasion.
Yesterday the trial of the men accused of his murder started in the High Court at Auckland.
Intruders allegedly broke into Boon's Botany Downs home late on the night of November 18, 2006, and
beat him to death.
Mr Boon's partner, Janny-Lee Brussow, locked herself and the couple's 3-year-old daughter in the bathroom upstairs and phoned police.
She could clearly hear Mr Boon struggling for breath downstairs as the attack took place.
Police arrived on the scene 12 minutes later.
Guy Nicholas Wilson, 36, from Otara, and Paul Junior Grace, 24, from East Tamaki, are jointly charged with murder.
Grace, together with his girlfriend Annette Louise Elaine Heta, 27, also from Otara, is charged with kidnapping and aggravated robbery.
All have pleaded not guilty.
Crown prosecutor Kirsten Lummis told the court yesterday the three accused knew Mr Boon.
"In this case, the plan was not to kill Jason Boon, the plan was to rob him of drugs and money," Ms Lummis said.
About 10.30pm, the three accused drove to Mr Boon's address in Kirikiri Lane in Botany Downs.
They had gloves, a wig for Wilson to wear, and a roll of duct tape.
Ms Lummis told the court that Mr Boon was involved in the drug scene, which was the only reason the three accused went to his address.
On answering the door to his attackers, Mr Boon was thrown to the ground and beaten about the chest, neck and head.
His partner heard him pleading with his attackers to stop, but tape was placed around his head and eyes, and his hands were taped behind his back.
When the duct tape ran out, his attackers tied an audiovisual cord around his hands.
The trio searched the house for property to steal before police arrived.
Ms Lummis said all three escaped out the back door but were quickly caught by police who had the place surrounded.
Jason Boon was left dead, or very close to death, after suffering various injuries.
He had bruising to his throat, neck and hands, a stab wound to his right forearm.
He died from asphyxiation, largely due to duct tape covering his mouth.
Murray Gibson, for Wilson, told the jury the essential issues to bear in mind were the high levels of methamphetamine found in Mr Boon's blood when he died.
He said that in other cases deaths had been attributed to the drug.
He pointed out the Crown agreed that methamphetamine in Mr Boon's system could not be excluded as a contributing factor in his death.
- NZPA