Large crowd in court for men charged in relation to Ariki Rigby’s death

Friday, 11 October 2024

A 32-year-old man was arrested in Favona charged with murder and arson, in relation to the car that Ariki’s remains were found in. The man will be appearing in Manukau District Court on Wednesday.

Two men charged in relation to the death of teenager Ariki Rigby appeared in court today.

A large crowd of her supporters were in attendance.

One of the men has been charged with Rigby’s murder.

A large crowd appeared in the High Court at Napier for the appearances of two men charged in relation to the death of teenager Ariki Rigby.

One of the men, aged 32, was arrested in Auckland last month and charged with murder and arson, in relation to the car that Ariki’s remains were found in.

Ariki Rigby, 18, was found dead in Havelock North in September 2022 in a car that had been set on fire.

He is being held in custody without plea

The other man, aged 29, was arrested in Havelock North this month and is charged with being a party to arson. He is also being held in custody without plea.

Both men have name suppression and appeared in the High Court at Napier court via video link before Justice Karen Grau.

Grau, who appeared via video link from the High Court in Wellington asked whānau members to remain calm for what would be a short appearance.

Grau set a date later this month for a hearing on the issue of name suppression, which was opposed by Crown.

Grau set a trial date in November 2025.

The men would make their next appearance on October 23. Both men were remanded in custody until then.

Rigby was 18 when she was killed. Her body was found in a burnt out car in a car park beside the Tukituki River on the outskirts of Havelock North on September 5, 2022.

The mid-90s dark grey Toyota Corona was first spotted two days prior.

Police officers called to inspect the car had wrongly concluded that burned remains visible inside were those of a sheep.

It wasn’t until a man walking a dog took a closer look that they were discovered to be human remains.

Rigby was formally identified and a homicide investigation was launched.

Last month, on the two year anniversary of Rigby’s death, police released a statement in which they “acknowledge Ariki’s whānau and friends on what is an extremely difficult day, and our thoughts remain with them as they continue on the journey of life without Ariki by their side”.