Pt England murder case: Amy Parker and co-defendant with suppression make first court appearance in Auckland

• A man and woman have been charged with murder after an alleged car theft in East Auckland.
• Amy Joy Parker, 22, and her co-defendant, 21, appeared in Auckland District Court.
• The man was found dead on Point England Rd and his stolen vehicle was recovered on Sunday.

A man and woman accused of participating in a car theft that turned fatal in East Auckland over the weekend have appeared in court for the first time, both charged with murder.

Name suppression was not sought this afternoon for 22-year-old Glenfield resident Amy Joy Parker, who fixed her long hair into a bun as she stood before Judge Stephen Bonnar in Auckland District Court.

Defence lawyer John Munro did not immediately enter a plea for the murder charge on his client’s behalf. A not guilty plea is likely to be entered at her next appearance, scheduled for Oct 23 in the High Court at Auckland.

Her appearance came roughly 20 minutes after that of her co-defendant, a 21-year-old from Glen Innes who wore a red and gold hoodie as he stood with his hands clasped in front of him. Defence lawyer Mark Ryan sought and was granted interim name suppression for his client, who was also remanded without plea until the High Court appearance this month.

Both hearings lasted only minutes. The male defendant gave a brief wave to supporters as he was escorted back to a holding cell.

Judge Bonnar also granted a request from a police prosecutor to keep secret, for now, the identity of the man who died, as well as the identities of his immediate family members and the registration number of his vehicle.

Authorities announced the pair’s arrest last night, two days after a man was found dead in the middle of Point England Rd.

Acting Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Greaves said first responders noticed multiple injuries to the body when they arrived around 11.15pm Saturday. It appeared he had run over by his own vehicle, which was stolen, Greaves said.

The man’s vehicle was recovered on Sunday morning and underwent forensic examination.

“These arrests are a positive development, but there’s a long way to go in this investigation and a significant amount of work remains to be completed,” he said last night.

“We want to extend our appreciation to members of the public that have assisted with the investigation. If you are yet to speak with us but have information that may assist our inquiries, please get in touch.”

Anyone with information can provide it online or by calling 105, using reference number 241006/5254. Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

Craig Kapitan is an Auckland-based journalist covering courts and justice. He joined the Herald in 2021 and has reported on courts since 2002 in three newsrooms in the US and New Zealand.

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