Items found with Katrina Jefferies' body in Waikowhai Reserve - red tarpaulin, yellow raincoat labelled Stormwear. Photo / File
Items found with Katrina Jefferies' body in Waikowhai Reserve - red tarpaulin, yellow raincoat labelled Stormwear. Photo / File
Next month marks 14 years since Katrina Jefferies was murdered. Her mother says nothing can take away the heartache of losing her daughter - and the fact that Katrina’s son has grown up without ever getting to know his mother.
Police are offering a $100,000 reward and immunity from prosecution to anyone who can help solve the cold case murder of a young mother.
New CCTV images and details about the crime scene where Katrina Jefferies was found will be released publicly tonight for the first time, as once again a senior detective reviews all the evidence gathered across two investigations.
Next month marks 14 years since the 22-year-old Jefferies was found dead in Waikowhai Reserve, in the Auckland suburb of Hillsborough, in July 2005.
The cause of her death was described as "highly unusual" by police at the time and several people have made false confessions to the murder.
Hundreds of people were interviewed by police in Operation Waikowhai but no one has been charged with her death, despite a previous $50,000 reward offer in 2007.
A Coroner ruled the young mother "suffered death at the hands of another" at an inquest in 2011, but suppressed the cause of death in order to not jeopardise the chances of finding her killer.
A second investigation into her death was opened in 2014, Operation Lyra, which led to a number of serious sex and violence charges laid against a man called "Magic Mike".
Following a jury trial, Michael Te Arawaka Te Huia was sentenced to 19 years in prison after being found guilty of 21 crimes against three victims spanning 30 years.
Nearly 14 years have passed since Katrina Ann Jefferies was murdered. Photo / Supplied
Witnesses at the trial said Te Huia, known as "Magic Mike", was the neighbourhood tinnie dealer who would invite teenagers in for a drink, or a joint, in the bar in the backyard of his Mt Roskill home.
"Magic used to get with a lot of young girls in the neighbourhood. I think a lot of the young girls were using him to score weed from him. Why else would a pretty young girl hang out with a scary old man that looks like him," one neighbour told police.
"He was using them and they were using him."
Once the girls were tangled up in his world, they would suffer cruelly at his hands with near-daily beatings and rape.
"I thought Magic was cool as when I first met him but later when I got to know him ... I was lured in and then he changed and turned into a monster," one of his victims told police.
Although the charges were unrelated to the murder of Jefferies, the link to her death was suppressed during Te Huia's trial in case it prejudiced the jury against him.
Michael Te Arawaka Te Huia at his High Court sentencing in 2016. Photo / Greg Bowker
Jefferies lived in the same neighbourhood as Te Huia but police will not comment on whether he was a suspect in her death.
Shortly after the 2016 trial, the police started an internal review of all evidence gathered in Operation Waikowhai and Lyra.
This was done by acting Detective Superintendent Paul Borrell who finished his report in August 2018.
The Herald on Sunday sought a copy of the report under the Official Information Act but the request was declined by police.
"The review report outlines some avenues of inquiries that Police staff from Auckland City district are considering," Detective Inspector Uraia Vakaruru wrote in response.
Despite the report recently completed by Borell, Vakaruru said another Detective Inspector was again reviewing all the evidence gathered across the two investigations.
Vakaruru said the police are not giving up hope of solving this case and holding those responsible for her death to account.
"We believe this is a solvable case and we know there are people out there who have vital information which will result in identifying those involved."
The death of Jefferies will feature on tonight's Cold Case episode on TVNZ 1 in which the investigation team will reveal evidence which have never been released to the public.
This will include previously unseen CCTV footage and new details about items found next to her body.
Police Commissioner Mike Bush has authorised a $100,000 reward
Vakaruru hoped the $100,000 reward and the new details would prompt witnesses to come forward with critical information.
"We know there are people out there who know what happened to Katrina," said Vakaruru.
"Relationships and loyalties change over time and our hope is that someone who has knowledge of Katrina's fate will ultimately do what's right for Katrina and her family and come forward."
Immunity from prosecution may be considered for any accomplice.
Her partially clothed body was found down a bushy slope off a road that winds through the Waikowhai Reserve, in the suburb of Hillsborough, on July 12, 2005.
She was wrapped in a red tarpaulin and a black rubbish bag.
A yellow PVC raincoat, a piece of plywood and a framed wooden picture were also found at the scene but examination of these items has been fruitless.
A post-mortem established Jefferies was dumped in the Waikowhai Reserve after being killed somewhere else.
The 2007 inquest was told that Katrina Jefferies often met friends and drank at the reserve, which was near her mother's house in Mt Roskill where she lived with her 20-month-old son.
She was last seen by her mother Nicola Jefferies leaving their Whitmore Rd address on foot in the early evening of July 10, 2005.
Nicola Jefferies said nothing could take away the heartache of losing her daughter and the fact that Katrina's son had grown up without ever getting to know his mother.
"We want justice for Katrina and it pains me that her killer is still out there somewhere. Our family wants to move on and I still hold out hope that Police will find who did this to Katrina."
How the $100,000 reward works
The reward offer will remain in place until September 20, 2019, and up to $100,000 will be paid for material information or evidence which leads to the conviction of any person, or persons, responsible for the death of Katrina Jefferies.
Police Commissioner Mike Bush will determine the amount of the reward and will, if necessary, apportion payment where there is more than one claimant.
Immunity from prosecution may be considered for any accomplice, not being the principal offender, who gives information to the police.
Anyone with information should go to their nearest police station, call 0800 COLD CASE, or email KatrinaColdCase@police.govt.nz
Information can also be provided anonymously by phoning Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
October 2014: Unrelated criminal charges laid against 54-year-old man after complaints from three women interviewed during Operation Lyra.
May 2016: Michael Te Arawaka Te Huia sentenced to 19 years in prison on 21 sex and violence charges. Police announced a review of the evidence in the Katrina Jefferies' investigation.
August 2018: Review into Operation Waikowhai and Lyra "outlines some avenues of inquiries" that police are considering.
