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A man killed his former partner and her new boyfriend, "a man he barely knew", because he would not accept his relationship with the woman was over, a court was told.
Waikato beneficiary Jason August Reihana, 35, has denied murdering Tauranga couple Teresa Gunn and Andrew Grabner in December 2005. Ms Gunn had only started dating Mr Grabner about two months before they died, but she had introduced him to her family.
Reihana's trial began yesterday at the High Court at Rotorua, where he admitted seriously wounding his former brother-in-law, Wiki Ngarimu, on the same evening he allegedly stabbed to death Ms Gunn, 27, and Mr Grabner, 39.
Crown prosecutor Simon Bridges said Reihana launched a premeditated attack on Ms Gunn, the mother of his two children, and Mr Grabner because he was "unwilling to accept Ms Gunn's freedom from him".
Mr Bridges said Reihana repeatedly threatened Ms Gunn after she ended their relationship, including saying he would kill her and anyone with whom she was involved.
Witnesses said Ms Gunn feared for her life.
On December 11, the day of the stabbings, Reihana allegedly drove from his home at Te Kawa, south of Te Awamutu, to Ms Gunn's home in Tauranga armed with three knives.
Mr Bridges said Reihana kicked in the door and went to the front room, where Ms Gunn and Mr Grabner were "innocently going about their evening". Reihana allegedly stabbed Mr Grabner, who jumped out a window to escape, but made it only as far as the other side of the road, before dying of a wound to the leg.
Reihana then stabbed Mr Ngarimu, who was hiding in a bedroom with Ms Gunn's sister and their child. Ms Gunn had escaped outside, but Reihana found her in the garden of a neighbouring house and was said to have stabbed her and spat on her body before turning the knife on himself.
Reihana was subdued by police and while lying wounded next to Ms Gunn's corpse, allegedly said: "I ******* killed her. I just want to die."
He was also heard admitting he had killed Mr Grabner and allegedly said "******* good job. I killed them and I don't regret it."
The trial continues today.
