Key Takeaways
- Harley Shrimpton, 28, was kidnapped and shot by Piripi Tukaokao, a patched member of the Greazy Dogs MC, after falling into debt to the gang.
- The Crown alleges Tukaokao lured Shrimpton to a carpark, forced him into a vehicle, drove him to a remote property in Poripori, and shot him once in the chest with a loaded shotgun.
- Shrimpton’s body was hidden in a freshly dug hole, wrapped in a tarpaulin, and later recovered after Tukaokao guided police to the burial site.
- Co‑defendant Tuara Heke pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact (shed clean‑up) and to attempting to pervert the course of justice, but denies involvement in the kidnapping or moving the body.
- Tukaokao faces murder, kidnapping, and aggravated robbery charges, which he denies, claiming the shooting was accidental.
- The gun used came from gang prospect Terrence Hayes, who later died by suicide and left a note implicating Tukaokao.
Background of the Case
The trial opened in the High Court at Rotorua with Crown solicitor Anna Pollett outlining that Harley Shrimpton had accumulated a significant debt while trying to sustain an addiction. The debt, believed to be between NZ$2,000 and NZ$5,000, was owed to the Greazy Dogs Motorcycle Club. Pollett said the situation escalated when the gang became involved, setting the stage for the alleged kidnapping and shooting.
Alleged Kidnapping Attempt at Shrimpton’s Former Flat
According to the Crown, on the early morning of 3 November 2023, Tukaokao and co‑defendant Tuara Heke, wearing gloves and masks, went to Shrimpton’s former flat to collect the debt. The terrified flatmate told them Shrimpton had moved out, but the pair did not believe him, searched the premises, and demanded the flatmate’s phone and passcode. Tukaokao reportedly threatened the flatmate, warning that any talk of the home invasion would result in being “put in a box.”
Luring Shrimpton to a Carpark
Using the seized phone, Tukaokao allegedly lured Shrimpton to a meeting at the Sulphur Point carpark in Tauranga, pretending to be his former flatmate. Shrimpton arrived with two friends. When Tukaokao approached the vehicle and tried to open the rear passenger door where Shrimpton sat, Shrimpton recognised the trap and shouted to his friends, “go, go, go,” as he tried to flee.
Capture at the McDonald’s and Forced Compliance
Later that afternoon, Tukaokao spotted Shrimpton’s car parked at the Mount Maunganui McDonald’s. He drove his blue Toyota Prius quickly into the carpark, positioning it directly in front of Shrimpton’s vehicle to block any escape. Shrimpton, unwilling to endanger his friends, complied with Tukaokao’s demands and reluctantly entered the front passenger seat of the Prius.
Transport to the Remote Property and the Shooting
The Crown stated that Tukaokao had previously obtained a loaded single‑barrel semi‑automatic shotgun from gang prospect Terrence Hayes and kept it in the shed of his vacant Poripori property. Shrimpton was taken to that shed, where Tukaokao allegedly fired once into Shrimpton’s chest. The wound was described as non‑survivable, and Shrimpton was left on the shed floor while Tukaokao returned to town.
Disposal of the Body and Clean‑up Efforts
After the shooting, Tukaokao allegedly picked up Heke, and together they returned to Poripori. They wrapped Shrimpton’s body in a tarpaulin, placed it in a freshly dug hole measuring approximately 2 m deep by 1 m wide, and buried it. The pair then destroyed items of Shrimpton’s clothing and his cell phone, washed down the shed with bleach and water, and attempted to erase forensic traces.
Recovery of the Body and Tukaokao’s Cooperation
Tukaokao initially refused to speak to police after his arrest. However, during a later interview he changed his story, eventually stating he wanted to show officers where the body was and that the shooting had been an accident. He guided police to the burial site, and on 5 December 2023 Shrimpton’s remains were recovered.
Charges and Pleas
Tukaokao faces charges of murder, kidnapping, and aggravated robbery, all of which he denies, maintaining that the death was accidental. Tuara Heke pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact (related to the shed clean‑up) and to wilfully attempting to pervert the course of justice by arranging for his sister to leave the country to avoid police questioning. Heke denies having been the second man present at the flatmate’s flat, denies involvement in moving the body, and denies the aggravated robbery of the flatmate.
Defence Arguments
Defence counsel Rebekah Webby argued that there was no evidence of aggravated robbery against the flatmate because no violence was used. Regarding the murder charge, Webby emphasized that the Crown lacks eyewitnesses to what occurred in the shed and relies solely on Tukaokao’s own statements to police. She urged the jury to keep an open mind, noting that Tukaokao later sought to make amends by leading authorities to the body. Counsel Bill Nabney for Heke echoed that his client admitted only to helping clean the shed and denied any role in the kidnapping, body movement, or the robbery.
The Gun’s Origin and Subsequent Suicide
The shotgun used in the shooting was supplied by gang prospect Terrence Hayes. After the killing, Tukaokao returned the weapon to Hayes and instructed him to dispose of it. Hayes later died by suicide, leaving a note that read, “Pids got the gun from me. I left it in the back seat of my car,” and expressed regret for not knowing Tukaokao’s intentions. The note concluded with the expletive‑filled rebuke, “F*** you Pids,” and gave directions to where the gun had been discarded.
Trial Outlook
The trial, presided over by Justice Simon Mount, is scheduled to run for four weeks. The prosecution will seek to prove that Tukaokao’s actions constituted a deliberate kidnapping and murder driven by debt collection, while the defence will contend that the shooting was tragic accident and that Heke’s involvement was limited to post‑incident clean‑up. The outcome will hinge on the jury’s assessment of the credibility of the defendants’ statements, the forensic evidence, and the surrounding circumstances of the debt‑related gang dispute.