A coroner has ruled TV star Pua Magasiva took his own life after an argument with his wife in 2019. Photo / Norrie Montgomery
Almost four years after Pua Magasiva’s death, a coroner’s findings reveal the tragic final moments and the past traumas.
Much-loved actor Pua Magasiva had been battling personal demons since his childhood and used alcohol as a coping mechanism for his anger, a coroner has revealed. He was also stressed about the public finding out he had been convicted for the drunken assault on his wife and being turned down for acting roles.
Before he took his own life in a Wellington hotel room on May 11, 2019, the former Shortland Street actor and Sione’s Wedding star sought professional help from a registered alcohol and drug clinician about “problematic” alcohol use and anger issues. He first saw him in February 2018.
Coroner Tracey Fitzgibbon’s findings, released to the Herald on Sunday this week, confirmed the clinician had found the actor had “an extensive history of accumulated grief, trust issues and limited ability to process or manage his emotional load as a result of some confusing and misguided role modelling through his formative years”.
“Mr Magasiva was interested in exploring his use of alcohol as a coping mechanism and manifestation of negative behaviours,” Fitzgibbon said.
“During his interactions [with the clinician], Mr Magasiva described a limited ability to manage stressful situations and to maintain clear and rational thought while under stress. In this case, several criteria of indicative Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder were identified.”
In June 2018, Magasiva was charged with assault after a drunken disagreement with his wife, Lizz Sadler. After spending an evening at a Takapuna restaurant with friends, the former Flava radio host spat in her face and put Sadler in a headlock. He confided in the clinician about the incident.
A focus was put on anger management strategies and suggestions were made for programmes Magasiva could attend.
The pair set about developing “healthy coping mechanisms” and “identifying and processing old emotion that remained from past trauma”.
The clinician also observed the actor had an “ingrained self-sabotage mechanism that appeared to interfere with his best intentions”, which resulted in a succession of appointments being made and missed over an 18-month period.
Five appointments were attended in person - the last was on December 20, 2018.
The clinician explained to the Herald on Sunday he was not Magasiva’s clinician when the actor took his own life.
Sadler, who works in special education, told the Herald on Sunday this week she believed the coroner’s findings were considered.
“It’s a tragedy, we have all suffered loss, but I have let a lot of negative things go so I can get on with my life. The trauma has been a long and painful journey and time hasn’t made it any easier. I have found ways to cope with help from friends and family and guidance from counsellors. I still experience difficult and overwhelming days but to move forward I focus on my daughter.
“I think of Pua every day and still believe he was my soulmate, but he had massive problems. It’s such a shame he couldn’t sort that stuff out, but it was deeply ingrained in him.”
Sadler, 36, mother to daughter Laylah, 11, has said she suffered three concussions during an abusive relationship with the TV star. While the couple’s social media profiles suggested the perfect fairy-tale romance, Sadler said she and her daughter lived in constant fear.
In April 2019, Magasiva was sentenced to supervision and community work for assaulting his wife. He was declined an application for permanent name suppression, but he was given interim name suppression for 20 working days to allow time for his lawyer to appeal the decision. But he died 15 days later.
The conviction had cost him a movie role.
His suicide at Wellington’s Hotel Intercontinental stunned the nation and prompted an outpouring of grief.
After his death, Magasiva’s name suppression was lifted with Sadler’s support.
“The reality I was facing was it could’ve been me who died that night,” Sadler said at the time.
The coroner’s findings also detail the final hours leading up to the TV star’s death. Fitzgibbon wrote that on May 10, 2019, the actor and his wife flew to Wellington for the weekend and met Effron, a friend of Magasiva’s, at the Intercontinental hotel for drinks and dinner.
At 8.30pm they went to a comedy club to watch a show, but Sadler was initially refused entry which she presumed was because she was intoxicated. Magasiva convinced staff to let her into the club.
The couple were with Effron, his wife, Trina - Magasiva’s sister- and a group of others.
Sadler told the Weekend Herald months after her husband’s death: “At the show he was openly drunk. I told him to be careful because it wasn’t a good look. He started picking on me and accused me of flirting with the barman.”
The coroner said Sadler and her sister-in-law went to another club and at 11.51pm, she received a text from Magasiva saying “he knew what she was doing and that he could do the same too.” The next text at 11.52 said goodnight.
The findings say Sadler said she was worried about Magasiva so tried phoning him after midnight but does not remember talking to him. She returned to the hotel because she was concerned.
“When she got back to the room, she says Mr Magasiva confronted her,” said Fitzgibbons.
“He asked her where she had been. He told her she did not love him. Ms Sadler says that Mr Magasiva pushed her, and she pushed him back.”
During the altercation, Sadler hit her head against a glass table and it started bleeding. She got up and he pushed her back down onto the bed.
“He told Ms Sadler it was her fault and she was an abuser,” Fitzgibbons said.
The last words from her husband were, “I’m going to kill myself” and “life’s not worth living”.
Sadler replied, “You always say that,” before taking a shower and trying to wash her hair, “but the blood kept coming”.
She was in the shower for four minutes and discovered Magasiva’s body when she emerged from the bathroom.
“She ran and shook him and tried to wake him up,” Fitzgibbons said.
“She ran to the room phone and called 111. She told the dispatcher what had happened and then attempted to give Mr Magasiva CPR by following instructions via phone.”
Ambulance staff arrived and continued with CPR but Magasiva was unable to be revived and was declared dead. Sadler was taken to hospital for her head to be checked.
Fitzgibbon concluded Magasiva’s actions were self-inflicted and amounted to suicide.
“There is nothing before me to suggest that any other person was involved or responsible for his death.”
Magasiva’s sister Trina declined to comment for this story.
Toxicology testing confirmed the presence of 170mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood in Magasiva’s system. The legal blood alcohol limit for a New Zealand driver aged 20 years or older is 50mg per 100ml.
Police searched the hotel room and found a phone. Fitzgibbon arranged a search of the phone and had read the text messages.
“The last message sent from the phone is at 11.52 pm on the 10th of May 2019,” she said. The content in the days leading up to his death indicate anxiety about the public finding out he had been convicted of assaulting his wife and the impact on his potential work opportunities.
She said that Sadler recalled “throughout their relationship that he has made suicide threats but has never attempted to harm himself before”.
On the couple’s trip to Wellington, Sadler described her husband’s mood as “fine and they were happy”, Fitzgibbon said.
“She did not notice anything was wrong, however she states that sometimes when Mr Magasiva drinks, he gets a lot more anxious about their relationship.”
Police did not locate a suicide note.
“Mr Magasiva had a number of stressors in his life at the time,” Fitzgibbon said.
The June 2018 incident was also not the first time Magasiva had been before the courts.
He was earlier convicted for drink driving three times, the latest occurring after an argument with Sadler in October 2017 as they hosted a children’s Halloween party.
Magasiva, who had been drinking wine, left on his motorcycle for his brother’s house after a quarrel with Sadler. When he returned, a police car was waiting outside his home.
As a result, in March 2018, the actor was sentenced to 80 hours community work, 12 months supervision and disqualified from driving for 13 months for the drink-driving conviction. A few months later he was caught driving a vehicle contrary to his limited licence. He was fined $400, ordered to pay court costs of $130 and disqualified from driving for six months for the breach.
His two other drink-driving convictions came in 2003 and 2005.
Magasiva and Sadler married in April 2018, 18 months after they met on Instagram.
Sadler says she now found peace and is content being in her own world with daughter Laylah. “I still love Pua, I don’t believe I will ever find someone that fits so well. He will always be a part of our lives.”
If you’re in danger now:
• Phone for police on 111 or ask neighbours or friends to ring for you.
• Run outside to where there are other people.
• Scream for help so that your neighbours can hear you. • Take the children with you. • Don’t stop to get anything else. • If you are being abused, remember it’s not your fault. Violence is never okay.
Where to go for help or more information:
• Shine, free national helpline 9am-11pm every day - 0508 744 633; www.2shine.org.nz
• Women’s Refuge: Free national crisis line operates 24/7 - 0800 refuge or 0800 733 843; www.womensrefuge.org.nz
• Shakti: Providing specialist cultural services for African, Asian and middle eastern women and their children. Crisis line 24/7 0800 742 584 • It’s Not Ok: Information line 0800 456 450; www.areyouok.org.nz
A front-end loader slammed into a Martinborough café as the driver attempted to rob an ATM. Video / TVNZ