Angela Blackmoore cold case murder: Trial of two accused begins in Christchurch

Angela Blackmoore was 21 when she was murdered in 1995. Photo / NZ Police

By RNZ

A second trial will get underway in Christchurch today for two people accused of taking part in the 1995 murder of 21-year-old Angela Blackmoore.

Blackmoore was bludgeoned and stabbed 39 times in her Wainoni home, while her 2-year son slept in a nearby room.

Jeremy Powell pleaded guilty to Blackmoore’s murder in 2020 and was sentenced to a minimum of 10 years in prison.

He had confessed to murdering Blackmoore after a tip-off to police, with Powell saying he was paid to carry out the crime.

David Hawken and Rebecca Wright-Meldrum are also charged with murdering Blackmoore but deny any involvement.

Powell and Wright-Meldrum’s trial got under way in May 2022 but was aborted 10 days later.

Justice Mander said new material had come to hand which counsel needed time to review.

Before the first trial was aborted the court had heard accusations that Hawken ordered Powell to kill Blackmoore with the help of Wright-Meldrum, offering $10,000 to carry out the hit in order to gain control of matrimonial property interests.