Nearly three weeks of trial, 39 witnesses, and just over five hours of jury deliberation returned a unanimous guilty verdict in the case of murdered British backpacker Grace Millane.
The Tinder messages between British backpacker Grace Millane and her murderer can now be revealed for the first time.
The messages show the murderer was the one pushing for a date with the 21-year-old, offering free drinks for her birthday to persuade her to meet with him.
At no stage in the Tinder messages is Millane the aggressor, nor does she discuss anything sexual or intimate.
During the trial the jury were shown the Tinder messages between Millane and her killer.
Justice Simon Moore granted the Herald permission to publish the messages.
Millane had set out on her OE and had only been in New Zealand for about 10 days when she was strangled to death by a man she met on Tinder in his central Auckland apartment.
Grace Millane and her killer in one of the last images take of her before she was murdered in his apartment in the CityLife building. Photo / supplied
Her killer then contorted her body into a suitcase he purchased specially from the Warehouse, drove her to the Waitakere Ranges and buried her in a shallow grave.
Millane tells him "okay" and tells him to add her on Facebook, giving him her full name.
She reminds him she is "literally in Converse" and he reiterates that her casual attire is "fine" and suggests they meet at 6pm that day.
CCTV footage showed the pair meeting near the Sky Tower at about 5.45pm - minutes after Millane sent a photo of the SkyCity Christmas tree to her family.
That was the last message they ever received from her.
Tinder messages between Millane and her killer have been released to the Herald by the court. The jury were shown these messages during his trial. Photo / supplied
After greeting her killer - who appears to see her and almost turn to walk away before carrying on to meet her - Millane walks with him to Andy's Burger Bar.
