Sao Yean murder trial: ‘He was harmless’, woman recalls friend found dead in water trough

Sao Yean, also known as Sao Young, or 'Black', was found dead in a water trough near Gordonton on April 14, 2020.

A friend of a man found dead in a water trough on the outskirts of Hamilton says she didn’t know anyone who didn’t like him and that he was “harmless”.

Cassandra Taiaroa had known Sao Yean, also known as Sao Young or “Black”, for about six years prior to his death in March 2020.

Taiaroa was one of 44 witnesses in a jury trial in the High Court at Hamilton involving four people accused of his murder.

Mihingarangi Tynneal Rameka, Neha Wiremu Grey and Daniel James Payne are all defending multiple violence charges against Jesse Whitiora and a second victim, and together with Anton Rite, are defending a charge of murder in relation to Yean’s death.

Although Taiaroa was summonsed to give evidence, she couldn’t be found by police, so Justice Timothy Brewer allowed the statement she gave to police in April 2020 to be read to the jury.

She first met him in a park where he had been drinking and would often see him in Garden Place and various parties before becoming closer when they lived with each other on Ulster St; she would often tell people that she was his mum.

Yean always had change on him and was always catching buses.

“Sao was always on the move.”

He was a “good mate, to everyone he knew … of all races and backgrounds”.

“I can’t think of anyone who didn’t get along with Sao.

“He was harmless.”

Yean would also always wear some sort of hat, and “change it all the time”.

However, he would often go missing, sometimes for up to a month at a time, and would leave her wondering “has he been sent to prison or dead?”.

While he had used drugs, he wasn’t “desperate” for them, and was more of a big drinker.

“Sao never dealt drugs but his mindset was based around drugs.”

She last saw Yean on March 8, at the home of Mathew Moore, where Yean had been staying.

Sao Yean, aka Sao Young, murder accused, from left Mihingarangi Tynneal Rameka, Anton Rite, Daniel Payne, and Neha Grey in the High Court at Hamilton. Photos / Belinda Feek

Given their relationship, if Yean was in danger he would talk to her, “because we were so close”.

On March 23 she sent him a message about Covid-19, and again on March 26, 30, and 31.

That’s when she started getting worried.

She was contacted by a friend on April 16 to say it was Yean’s body found in a water trough in Horsham Downs.

‘It was us, haha’

Huntly man Anthony Pitman told crown prosecutor Duncan McWilliam how he and his partner, Sarah Davidson, bought the distinctive blue BMW two-door convertible from a man in Taranaki in early 2020.

Family and friends were able to use it, including Rite, who was staying with Pitman at the time.

Rite got the car on the evening of March 11 after picking Pitman and a friend up from a party and dropping them home.

Pitman said he spent the next day hungover but had told Rite he needed it for an event on the 13th.

Rite eventually got in touch on the 14th saying it could be picked up from a house in Fairfield.

His partner, Sarah Davidson, and his ex-partner picked up the car but had to stop at a petrol station and buy cable ties as the boot kept popping open.

Inspecting the boot, Pitman said the latch had been pushed too far forward, so he and flatmate, Ryan Timms fixed it.

At the same time he noticed a bag of boxing gear was also missing.

In questioning from Rite’s counsel, Adam Holland, Pitman agreed that there had always been an issue with closing the boot, described as “heavy” – there was no suspension mechanism so it would slam down.

For it to close properly, it needed to be guided down slowly.

Davidson testified that when she picked the car up, it had smelt strongly of methylated spirits, however Timms hadn’t noticed a smell, and Pitman said the only issue was the boot.

About a month later, Davidson recalled being at home with Rite, and news about the discovery of a body at Horsham Downs was on the news.

Asked by McWilliam if Rite made a comment about it, Davidson replied he said “ ‘It was us’ and he laughed,” she said.

“I told him to shut up. I just thought he was mucking around, trying to be a funny guy.

“That was his whole persona.”

At that stage, Yean’s identity hadn’t been revealed, but Davidson said she had known Yean since she was about 13 years old.

Rite’s co-counsel, David Niven, put to her that she didn’t like Rite.

“Nah we didn’t get on,” however she added that she wasn’t uncomfortable about it, she was just someone who voiced her opinion about “stuff that I didn’t like”.

Put to her that people were able to use the car, Davidson agreed they were but people were meant to stay in contact.

“But that never happened,” she said.

Niven put to her there was no smell in the car when she picked it up.

“Yes there was,” she said.

‘Took them for a boot ride’

Chrystal Beckham-Young testified how, after the incident, Rite told her that “we had some s*** to sort out in Hamilton” and he had taken “them for a boot ride to scare them”.

Asked if she knew what that meant, she said, “no”.

She added that she didn’t know what car was used but that “they only scared him”.

Rite had told her it wasn’t just him in the car, but he didn’t say who it was.

The trial continues next week.