Kael Austin Leona, 37, was the subject of a massive manhunt and a police public appeal after the fatal stabbing of a woman on the Number 74 bus in Church St, Onehunga about 2.30pm on Wednesday.
Police said later on Thursday afternoon that he had handed himself in.
Leona was set to appear in court on Thursday on charges of obstructing and resisting a policeman on Friday last week. Had he appeared in court it would have been far from his first appearance in the Auckland District Court in recent years.
Herald inquiries have revealed he was sentenced by Judge Debra Bell on May 15 for threatening to kill by stabbing, and doing a threatening act towards a dwelling.
Judge Bell imposed a one year and seven months’ prison term and a final protection order in favour of the victim.
Later this year Leona was out of prison but subject to release conditions. People sentenced to less than two years in prison are automatically released after serving half their sentence.
As a result, if Leona had already spent over nine months in custody on remand at the time of his sentence, he would have been released on conditions almost immediately.
Determining when and whether a prisoner can be released, for example on the basis of time served while remanded in custody, is a matter for Corrections.
Sean Mason, Corrections Deputy Chief Executive Communities, Partnerships and Pathways, said Leona was released from prison on July 8, 2024, subject to release conditions.
“Corrections recently took breach action against the suspect when he breached his non-association condition,” Mason said.
“He was remanded in custody for 20 days, before the court imposed an order to come up for sentence if called upon and he was released on 7 October 2024.”
His release conditions included to not associate with or contact a specific person, who was not named in the Corrections statement, without prior approval. He was also required to attend assessments for a non-violence programme and for any counselling or treatment programme he was directed to by a probation officer.
The name of the woman stabbed to death yesterday has not been released.
Acting Detective Inspector Alisse Robertson said police believe she was not known to Leona.
Police have released this image of Kael Leona, who they say has been identified as the man who stabbed a woman on a number 74 bus in Onehunga on October 23. She died at the scene. Photo / NZ Police
Robertson said police were called to the stabbing aboard the number 74 bus in Onehunga about 2.30pm on Wednesday.
They found the victim with several stab wounds still on the bus.
“Tragically, despite the best efforts of medical personnel and members of the public, she died at the scene,” Robertson said.
“Our thoughts are with her whānau at this time, and we are doing everything we can to support them.”
The woman was found with multiple stab wounds on the Number 74 bus in Church St, Onehunga. Photo / Hayden Woodward
Robertson said they believe Leona is responsible. Police are following positive lines of inquiry and speaking to a number of people who are helping them, she said.
He was last seen in Mt Wellington, Robertson said.
He was described as in his late 30s, and last seek wearing dark pants and a black jumper with white writing on the front, and white shoes.
George Block is an Auckland-based reporter with a focus on police, the courts, prisons and defence. He joined the Herald in 2022 and has previously worked at Stuff in Auckland and the Otago Daily Times in Dunedin.
