Dustin La Mont appears in the Auckland High Court on murder charges. Photo / Jason Oxenham
Dustin La Mont appears in the Auckland High Court on murder charges. Photo / Jason Oxenham
The day after Dustin La Mont allegedly stabbed two people in the neck, he tweeted that he felt the situation was "surreal" and told his girlfriend he felt hungry but had no appetite.
And in the months leading up to the attacks, he painstakingly documented his neighbours' behaviour, making numerous complaints to police, their landlords and noise and animal control.
The 26-year-old, on trial at the Auckland High Court, also chronicled his battle with his neighbours on Twitter lamenting their loud parties, cars and asking his followers to call noise control for him.
La Mont is charged with murdering Nathan Pukeroa, 24, and wounding Devaray-Junior Heremia Cole-Kuvarji, 22, with intent to cause grievous bodily harm by stabbing them both in the neck on December 2 last year.
The alleged attacks took place on Renton Rd with the Crown alleging La Mont's feelings towards his neighbours rising from annoyance to "a state of anger and frustration" in the 21 months before.
However, the defence says La Mont acted in self defence to two large men threatening him after they saw him inspecting the house that night.
Nathan Mata Pukeroa died after being stabbed in Renton Rd, Mt Albert, the night of December 2. Photo / Supplied
The jury this afternoon were read a text exchange by Detective Andrew Smith which were sent between La Mont and his girlfriend, whose name is suppressed, the day after the attacks.
"Last night seems so surreal still. Hope you're having a good day, chicken. I Love you," La Mont said.
His girlfriend replied it was surreal seeing the men in white suits and that she felt weird.
"I'm so tired, really didn't sleep well last night. Feel weird too - hungry but no appetite. Groggy, who knows, love you," La Mont said.
He also sent a series of tweets saying "I f***ing knew our neighbours were f***ed" before stating there were reporters in his street.
He also said he looked forward to giving his statement to police and getting it out of the way.
The jurors were also showed videos found on La Mont's computer, shot through the bushes showing a man in a cap punching a bag with boxing gloves on.
He also presented numerous complaints made by La Mont about the property, including to animal control about a white pitbull-like dog, to the police, Crimestoppers and many to noise control about loud gatherings, cars and domestic incidents.
Over the course of the year, La Mont looked up 108 vehicle registrations on the website Car Jam which gives users details of a car's make, year and whether it's stolen.
The Crown alleges after he stabbed both Pukeroa and Cole-Kuvarji in their necks, killing one and seriously wounding the other, La Mont "took immediate action to cover up what he'd done".
He did this by bleaching his beard, cleaning and disassembling the knife, then shaving his beard and told his girlfriend he was self-harming in the back shed at the time of the attacks.
La Mont then ditched the items on his walk to work but ended up painting himself into a corner with his false alibi and police finding blood on his shoes, the only item he didn't discard.
