Triple murder accused Justin Matthew Jeffries appears via audio-visual link in the Rotorua District Court not long after he was arrested in October 2024. Photo / Kelly Makiha
Triple murder accused Justin Matthew Jeffries appears via audio-visual link in the Rotorua District Court not long after he was arrested in October 2024. Photo / Kelly Makiha
A man accused of a triple murder in Rotorua will wait another six months before going to trial.
Justin Matthew Jeffries, 52, of Mamaku, near Rotorua, has pleaded not guilty on the grounds of insanity to charges including the murder of three people.
His case was called in the HighCourt at Rotorua this morning. His appearance was excused.
Jeffries is also charged with wounding Adam Sour with intent to cause grievous bodily harm on September 23 in Rotorua.
He is further charged with entering a building on Old Taupo Rd with the intent to commit an imprisonable offence, and unlawfully using Schiller’s bank card with the intent to obtain property.
Police at one of the alleged murder scenes on Old Taupo Rd in 2024. Photo / Ben Fraser
Jeffries’ lawyer, Andy Hill, told Justice Kiri Tahana the report was half finished.
A four-week trial had been set down to start on February 15 next year.
However, the court needed to use that time for another High Court murder trial, which had been adjourned.
That case is the trial of Credence Paripari Malcolm, from Rotoiti, and another man, whose name is suppressed, for the alleged murder of Kawerau woman Korrey Whyman on September 25, 2022.
Justice Tahana set the new trial date for Jeffries for July 27 next year.
She said there was a possibility the February date could still be used if the other trial did not go ahead.
She noted concerns that, given the number of expert witnesses in the Jeffries case, all parties would need to know by at least November.
Kelly Makiha is a senior journalist who has reported for the Rotorua Daily Post for more than 25 years, covering mainly police, court, human interest and social issues.
