The accusation against David Hawken and Angela Blackmoore is that they killed Angela Blackmoore on August 17, 1995.
According to the High Court, a police interviewer’s “misunderstanding” led to a confession to the murder of Christchurch mother Angela Blackmoore.
On October 25, 2019, more than 24 years after Blackmoore’s death, Christchurch fitter and welder Jeremy Powell was taken from his home to the Sydenham police station, where he was interviewed by Detective Pete Boyd regarding the murder.
Detective Superintendent Tom Fitzgerald had called Powell earlier, after he had been drinking and using MDMA. Detective Fitzgerald had traveled from Canberra to oversee and provide guidance on the interview.
During the interview, Powell admitted his guilt and named 51-year-old Rebecca Wright-Meldrum and 50-year-old David Peter Hawken as parties to the August 17, 1995, murder of Blackmoore. Both men are currently on trial for these charges.
Powell asserted that Wright-Meldrum and he were following Hawken’s instructions and that they should receive $10,000.
Boyd responded to inquiries from Wright-Meldrum’s attorney Phil Shamy on Thursday by stating that Powell had admitted roughly 40 minutes into the conversation.
Boyd mentioned “Darren,” which Shamy said seemed to be a watershed moment that preceded the confession.
The passage from Shamy’s interview that Boyd heard said:
Powell: “Just tell me the truth, man; it’s…”
Boyd: “Well, we’re currently having a conversation with Darren [Surch]. Additionally, Darren is aware of what transpired and, like your parents, would only want the best for you.
Boyd clarified to Shamy that he meant for police to “were going” to speak with Surch.
Boyd was informed by Shamy that seeing Darren and knowing that “Darren knows what happened” were two very different things.
Boyd responded, “I see the point you are making.”
Boyd explained that he had only brought up Powell’s parents and Surch’s mother because those three individuals meant the most to him.
Boyd was shown by Shamy a police letter dated May 30, 2020, which was addressed to Surch’s attorney and asked if Surch would be open to
respond to inquiries about Powell’s level of confidance.
“It seems like the police had nothing from Mr. Surch at that point,” Shamy remarked.
Boyd stated that authorities were still attempting to speak with Surch and obtain details.
“So, it seems that your earlier statement—that Mr. Surch is aware of what transpired—was incorrect, as you mentioned to Mr. Powell?” said Shamy.
Boyd responded, “Yes, that was my intention when I brought those people up—they were all significant to Powell.”
He claimed not to have seen the attorney’s response stating Powell hadn’t told Surch.
On Thursday, additional evidence concerning Boyd’s December 13, 2019, interview with Hawken in Wānaka was presented.
“All right, so they’ve said that they went there at your invitation to do what they did,” Boyd said to Hawken during the interview. Murder Angela.
“Oh,” Hawken remarked. Alright. Nice. No.
“That you were going to pay them,” Boyd retorted.
Without a doubt, no, replied Hawken. It’s poop.
When Wright-Meldrum’s attorney Anne Stevens, KC, questioned Boyd, he acknowledged that he meant “he” when he used the word “they,” as Wright-Meldrum hadn’t made any accusations against Hawken.
