Family shout abuse at trio accused of killing Matthew Stevens

Photo / File

Family and friends of murdered Lower Hutt man Matthew Stevens shouted abuse at the three people accused of killing him when they appeared in court today.

Stuart Graham Wilton, 27, Kelly Leigh Crook, 27, and Darrin John Wilkie-Morris, 24, appeared in the Hutt Valley District Court charged with murder.

They were all remanded in custody until February when they will appear in the High Court at Wellington.

The public gallery was packed with friends and family of Mr Stevens.

Some cried during the trio's brief appearances.

They all stared at the defendants as they entered the dock, with some shouting abuse.

Mr Stevens, 32, was last seen buying a six-pack of beer at a Lower Hutt supermarket at 10.30pm on November 27.

His body was found the next morning near his car in thick bush on a steep slope off Paekakariki Hill Road about 35km away.

Police at first thought his car had been abandoned but the inquiry was upgraded to a homicide when a post-mortem examination showed Mr Stevens had died of stab wounds.