Crown closes argument of David Lyttle, accused of murdering Brett Hall in 2011

The Whanganui River area that was thoroughly searched in 2011. Photo / Whanganui Chronicle

By RNZ
The Crown has closed its argument in the murder trial of David Lyttle, saying he took his friend's money and his life.

Mr Lyttle is on trial in the High Court in Wellington for the murder of Brett Hall in May 2011.

Mr Hall went missing from his Whanganui property and the Crown said Mr Lyttle admitted to undercover police three years later that he killed him.

Michele Wilkinson-Smith, who has been summing up the Crown case today, said Mr Lyttle told the police he did it in self-defence.

"The plain english meaning of what he said was that he did not deny killing Mr Hall - he sought to justify it," she said.

Ms Wilkinson-Smith said there was only one person responsible for the murder: Mr Lyttle.

"David Lyttle was meant to be his friend - he took his money - and the Crown says he took his life," she said.

She told the jury to think carefully about the verdict after hearing weeks of evidence.

"You can't shy away from delivering the verdict that the evidence leads you to," she said.

The defence, which argues the confession was coerced, will sum up its case on Monday.

- RNZ