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A 19-year-old man has appeared in the Auckland District Court charged with murdering Maxwel-Dee Repia in Grey Lynn on Thursday evening, and will keep his name secret for now against the wishes of police.
His 18-year-old alleged getaway driver gestured with his finger in the dock before winking at media as he appeared in the same court a few hours after the murder-accused. He was charged with being an accessory after the fact to murder and he too received interim name suppression.
The teenage murder accused, listed in court documents as living in Grey Lynn, is also charged with wounding three other men with intent to cause grievous bodily harm on Thursday, the same day police allege he murdered Repia in Tuarangi Rd.
It emerged in court that police are yet to find the getaway car or the firearm allegedly used to kill Repia and wound several others.
The 19-year-old, with a shaved head and wearing a grey tracksuit, appeared from custody in the dock before Judge Kirsten Lummis late on Monday morning. A large contingent of the accused’s family packed into the court to watch proceedings.
Also in court were a number of family members of Repia. Judge Lummis offered them her condolences.
His lawyer Libby Brown sought interim name suppression for her murder-accused client, citing extreme hardship, until the next hearing in the Auckland High Court.
“Counsel has concerns about his psychological state and his safety,” Brown said.
His lawyers had engaged a psychologist as a result of those concerns, she said.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Hannah Marshall opposed interim suppression, saying the release of his name would help their ongoing investigation and inquiries into sightings of the accused.
“The release of the defendant’s name would assist greatly with those inquiries,” Marshall said.
A 19-year-old Auckland man appears in the Auckland District Court charged with killing Maxwel-Dee Repia in Grey Lynn on Thursday, September 5, and wounding several others. Photo / Michael Craig
An 18-year-old accused of being an accessory after the fact to the murder of Maxwel-Dee Repia gestures at reporters as he appears in the Auckland District Court on September 9. Photo / Dean Purcell
Brown argued those inquiries can be made without the release of her client’s name. Judge Lummis noted police had yet to find the car and gun allegedly used in the killing.
“At the moment there’s an outstanding firearm and an outstanding car linked to your defendant,” Judge Lummis said.
Judge Lummis remanded the accused in custody without plea to a hearing on September 25 at 9am in the Auckland High Court.
The judge allowed the name suppression application, but only for seven days, saying it would expire at midday on Monday, September 16, unless lawyers can convince her ongoing suppression is needed.
The other teenager, aged 18 and from Te Atatū according to court documents, appeared before Judge Lummis on Monday afternoon. He faces four charges of being an accessory after the fact, by driving the murder-accused away from the crime scene and helping him avoid arrest, court documents state.
Police also allege he was carrying a knife when he was arrested in the car park of the Te Atatū Woolworths on Saturday afternoon.
His lawyer, John Corby, sought an adjournment of a few hours when the 18-year-old was called after the murder-accused, so a forensic mental health nurse could be consulted. He was even shorter and of a slighter build than the murder-accused.
When he eventually appeared and Judge Lummis granted the Herald’s application to take photographs in of the accused in the dock, the 18-year-old flipped the bird at reporters before winking.
Corby sought interim name suppression for his young client, citing high tensions in the community and the risk to his safety.
Police opposed suppression, saying the release of the young man’s name could help with their investigation, as they were still appealing for sightings.
“I still have concerns about this rather fragile young man,” the lawyer said.
Corby said his client had told him he’d left alone as soon as he heard gunfire. Police have said the shooting followed longstanding tensions between different groups on the Grey Lynn street.
“There’s obviously a lot of animus between people here,” he said.
“It seems to be a relatively longstanding feud.”
He was remanded in custody by consent to the same date in the Auckland High Court, and also received interim name suppression for seven days unless a further application is filed and granted.
Both teenagers were arrested on Saturday afternoon following a massive manhunt.
Police arrested an 18-year-old man in the carpark of Countdown Te Atatū on Saturday in relation to the Grey Lynn homicide. Photo / Hayden Woodward
Detective Inspector Glenn Baldwin said this weekend that police won’t rule out further charges.
“Our investigation is very much ongoing and is still in the early stages,” Baldwin said.
“There is still much to do as we piece together a full account of what occurred on Thursday and the events leading up to this tragedy.
“The community has responded very positively and we are grateful for their support.”
Baldwin said police will continue to work in the community, going door to door seeking witnesses and CCTV footage.
“Please, if you have information, contact us, rather than waiting for us to find you.
Police at the scene in Tuarangi Rd in Grey Lynn on Thursday evening. One teenager was left dead and several others badly wounded following the shooting. Photo / Hayden Woodward.
“We know there are others involved in the offending on Thursday. The right thing for them to do is contact police and talk with us.
