Victim begged for life, says double killer

The two victims of truck driver Anthony Doyle were found under the Wairoa River Bridge. Picture / Alan Gibson

Anthony Doyle tested his gun to make sure it worked before killing Mikaere O'Sullivan and Toni-Anne Nathan.

And the Rotorua truck driver told a friend that Mr O'Sullivan was "squealing like a pig" begging for his life before he killed him.

The details emerged yesterday when Doyle, 40, changed his plea and admitted murdering the Omokoroa couple under the Wairoa River Bridge near Tauranga on October 31.

Doyle showed little emotion as the charges were put to him in the High Court at Rotorua, answering "guilty" in a steady voice to charges of murdering Mr O'Sullivan, 42, and Ms Nathan, 39.

Doyle's admission of guilt came during a brief appearance intended to set a date for his trial. Instead, it ended with his conviction for the crime.

No reason was given in court for his change of heart and his lawyer, Paul Mabey, QC, would not comment.

Members of Mr O'Sullivan's family, including his sons, were in the public gallery and sat silently as Doyle admitted the killings.

They would not comment afterwards, but other family members expressed their relief.

"I'm very happy for the family now because they can sit down and relax rather than wonder if he was going to walk," said Mr O'Sullivan's father, Doug.

His mother, Ann, said she broke down when she heard the news and felt relief that she and other relatives did not have to sit through a trial.

She cried as she spoke, saying Doyle's guilty plea brought some closure but did not make up for the loss of her son and his partner of 10 years.

"It doesn't matter what he gets, 50 or 100 years. It won't bring them back."

Lance O'Sullivan, Mikaere O'Sullivan's brother, was angry that Doyle had taken so long to change his plea after having confessed to the crimes.

"We all knew he was guilty," he said.

Ms Nathan's family, who live in Northland, were not in court and could not be contacted.

But police said both families were extremely relieved Doyle had "accepted his responsibilities".

"It goes a very small way towards helping them through their trauma, which is still significant," said the officer in charge of the investigation, Detective Senior Sergeant Greg Turner.

Mr Turner said the conviction of Doyle, who was arrested six days after the murder, was the result of excellent police work.

"This is the most rewarding part of police work, being able to deliver this sort of result to families."

New details about the murders emerged in a Crown summary of facts presented to Justice Geoffrey Venning.

A copy of the summary given to the Herald reveals that Doyle and his victims agreed to meet under the Wairoa River Bridge at 3am on October 31 to conduct a drug deal.

Depositions evidence has already revealed that both sides were heavily involved in selling and using methamphetamine and that Mr O'Sullivan owed Doyle $5000 for drugs he had bought on "tick".

The summary presented yesterday said many witnesses were told about the debt by Doyle and his victims, and it caused "extreme animosity" between the two sides.

The summary said Mr O'Sullivan and Ms Nathan were growing increasingly fearful of Doyle and were concerned about possible retribution.

They drove to Auckland and bought nine grams of methamphetamine, which Mr O'Sullivan hoped would clear the debt.

After the purchase, they drove to the bridge where, the summary said, Doyle had arrived armed with a loaded sawn-off double-barrel shotgun.

"He advised an associate after the murders that he test-fired the shotgun in the forest while en route to be sure that it worked."

Doyle had admitted in an interview with police that he shot Mr O'Sullivan at close range.

"He later told an associate that he had O'Sullivan squealing like a pig begging for his life before he killed him," the summary said.

Depositions evidence revealed that Doyle admitted the murders to fellow truck driver Neil Rodgers.

Mr Rodgers' evidence said: "[Doyle] said he pulled the gun up and pointed at him and said 'you shouldn't have ****ed with me, Mikaere'."

Doyle told Mr Rodgers that Ms Nathan tried to escape.

"[Doyle] said, 'She tried to start the car so I shot her, but ****-all hit her so I had to shoot her again. When I was putting another bullet in she tried to run away'."

A coroner found Ms Nathan was shot first in the shoulder, then in the head.

The summary said Doyle told police he saw the drugs and a set of scales on the console of Ms Nathan's car when the couple arrived at the bridge, but returned to his own vehicle to get his gun when he felt he was being set up.

The drugs had "mysteriously disappeared" between his seeing them and killing his victims.

After receiving the summary, Justice Venning convicted Doyle on both charges of murder and ordered a pre-sentencing report.

Doyle will be sentenced on Friday, October 13, and faces a potential minimum non-parole period of 17 years in prison.