Woman in tears as she appears in Hamilton court charged with murdering Te Reo Wickcliffe-Heta

Te Reo Wickliffe-Heta, 24, of Hamilton, was found dead in a Melville driveway around the midnight of December 29 last year.

A woman cried as she was led into the dock to face a charge of murder after a man was found unresponsive in a suburban Hamilton driveway.

The 24-year-old, who was granted interim name suppression by Judge Paul Mabey, KC, in the Hamilton District Court today, was originally charged with assault with a weapon.

However, Crown prosecutor Jacinda Hamilton today formally withdrew that charge and replaced it with one of murder.

Te Reo Wickliffe-Heta, a Mongrel Mob member, was found dead in a driveway on Sundown Cres, Melville, just after midnight on December 29, last year.

Members of both his family and the accused’s family sat in the public gallery to listen to the proceedings.

The woman’s counsel, Gerard Walsh, did not apply for bail on her behalf.

Instead, Judge Mabey withdrew the original charge and remanded her in custody to reappear in the High Court at Hamilton on February 8.

A close friend of Wickliffe-Heta’s earlier called him “a unique friend” and said, “the memories of [their] friendship will endure forever”.

The bereft friend said: “Thank you ... for keeping me company and serving and protecting me, but most of all, sharing your wisdom and knowledge when I needed it the most.

“It may be saddening, unjust, and unfortunate, but good people who pass away young, I believe, [it] is because they had done so much good that they don’t have much to learn from life any more and their journey is finally over.”

Meanwhile, police are urging anyone with information about the incident to come forward.

“We know this will have been a shock to the community, however, we would like to reassure them this was an isolated incident,” Detective Senior Sergeant Terri Wilson said after the court appearance.

“This is a tragic event, and we are ensuring there is support in place for those closest to the victim.”

Wilson said police were continuing to make inquiries, but wanted to encourage anyone with information to get in contact with them even if it was the smallest detail.

Anyone with information is asked to call 105, or make a report online at 105.police.govt.nz, clicking “Update Report”, referencing file number 231230/5501.

Information could also be provided anonymously to CrimeStoppers by calling 0800 555 111.

Belinda Feek is an Open Justice reporter based in Waikato. She has worked at NZME for nine years and been a journalist for 20.