Witness demonstrates 'kill shot'

Christopher Heenan in the High Court at Rotorua yesterday. Photo/Stephen Parker

A key witness has shown a jury how murder-accused Christopher Heenan allegedly delivered a "kill shot" to his victim.

The evidence was given in the High Court at Rotorua yesterday, day three of 54-year-old Heenan's retrial for the murder of Rotorua's Raukawa Newton. The Crown alleges Heenan stabbed 36-year-old Mr Newton at Heenan's Konene St house on October 11, 2007, severing his aorta. Heenan also suffered superficial stab wounds that night, which the Crown say were self-inflicted.

The Crown witness, whose identity is suppressed, said Heenan had told him several times during January 2008 both he and Mr Newton were stabbed by an unknown third man.

The witness said he asked Heenan again on January 24 who that third man could be. Heenan took him outside, saying his house was bugged, the witness said.

"That's when he said to me it [the third man story] was his alibi . . . to throw the pigs [police] off the scent."

The witness said Heenan demonstrated on him how he had killed Mr Newton, by coming up from behind, reaching underneath Mr Newton's right arm and stabbing him through the heart. Heenan said he'd gone "straight for the kill shot", the witness said.

He said Heenan then took him inside the house and showed him where it happened, pointing out a blood stain on the carpet.

"He said that Raukawa was calling up Maori gods ... [Heenan] is a superstitious man, he always has been."

The witness said Heenan told him he went into the toilet and with two hands "pushed" a knife or screwdriver into his own stomach to make it look like someone else had stabbed them.

The witness said Heenan seemed happy that he'd stabbed Mr Newton.

During cross-examination defence lawyer Simon Lance asked the witness why he didn't tell police about the conversation straight away.

"Safety was my main issue," the witness replied.

He said he told police in 2009 after Heenan had been charged and was "securely locked away".

Mr Lance also questioned the witness about how much he had drunk the day of the conversation and whether he had previously seen newspaper articles about Mr Newton's death.

He will continue cross-examination of the witness today and the defence will open its case next week.