Killer in grisly murder case heads back to court

Tuesday, 19 August 2025

A man who has spent almost 28 years in prison for a grisly killing, has had his case sent back to the Court of Appeal because of concerns a serious mistake was made at his trial.

Lon Reti, now 57, was convicted of murdering Leslie Edmonds in a Christchurch house in October 1997.

But the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), which considers potential wrongful convictions, now says the court failed to take into account Reti’s full psychological condition.

It says his mental health condition, which resulted from years of abuse in his family and state homes, may have contributed to his actions with Edmonds, and should have been considered when the jury decided wither Reti was provoked.

If the jury had been fully aware of Reti’s condition, the CCRC says it may have returned a verdict of manslaughter, rather than murder, for which Reti remains in prison.

It has, therefore, referred Reti’s case back to the Court of Appeal to be reconsidered.

Reti had a difficult upbringing, shuttling between state care and his family from shortly after his birth.

He was severely abused at home and in a series of boys homes and schools.

By 1997, aged 29, he was living on the street in Christchurch, though he had a room in an abandoned house in Hereford St, occupied by squatters.

Edmonds, 28, was a fellow street person, and had only been released from psychiatric care the day before he was killed.

On the evening of October 22, Edmonds was too late to get a bed at the City Mission, so asked Reti if he could stay with him.

Reti says Edmonds sexually assaulted him, and continued making forceful sexual advances, wearing only a pair of women’s underwear, despite Reti punching him at one point.

Eventually, Reti stabbed Edmonds with a knife, causing his death.

He then severed his throat, and cut off both Edmonds’ ears, placing them in his jeans pocket.

Police found Reti outside the property, with Reti described as being “out of it”, due to sniffing paint.

Reti told police and others he had severed Edmonds’ ears because Edmonds wouldn’t listen to him when asked to leave.

After his arrest, Reti was seen by psychiatrists, but considered fit to stand trial.

And at his 1998 trial, Reti admitted causing Edmonds’ death, but said it was partly a result of accident and self-defence, and he didn’t intend to kill him.

Justice William Young ruled the jury could consider provocation as a partial defence, but did not identify any special characteristics of Reti that the jury could use in its determination.

At the time, provocation was able to be used as a partial defence against a charge of murder.

Provocation as a defence was repealed in 2009, following public concerns raised in cases like that of Clayton Weatherston, convicted of murdering Sophie Elliott in 2008, though it can still be considered by judges during sentencing.

Reti was convicted on July 1, 1998, and sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum non-parole period of 10 years.

Reti had two unsuccessful appeals and has repeatedly been turned down for parole, and remains in prison.

On June 30, 2020, as soon as the CCRC came into being, Reti applied for a review of his conviction for murder, and his sentence.

The commission obtained advice from experts, who clarified Reti had a significant history of serious abuse, both in his family home and in state care.

This could have led to the way Reti responded to Edmonds’ sexual advances, experts said.

However, this was never put before the jury, and if it had been, the CCRC says it may have returned a verdict of manslaughter rather than murder.

The CCRC’s chief commissioner Denis Clifford said, like numerous people who applied to the organisation, Reti’s application came after years of perseverance to have their case looked at again.

“For many, our involvement is the first time their case has been looked at with fresh eyes.

“Our unique role in the criminal justice system is to independently investigate and review possible miscarriages of justice. We don't decide guilt or innocence, that’s the role of the courts. We have a duty to act, when we uncover information that could have made a real difference to the outcome.”

Reti's lawyer, Kerry Cook, said the CCRC had “shown independence and integrity” in referring Reti’s case back to the Court of Appeal, and showed the body’s importance as an independent safeguard against miscarriages of justice.

“Reviewing potential wrongful convictions reassures New Zealanders that justice is not only about finality and penalties, but also about fairness and accuracy. The safety valve offered by the CCRC is crucial as it ensures our justice system remains credible.

“The CCRC’s referral could be seen as a brave step, but this referral merely reflects the independence and integrity of a body devoted to justice. Despite the nature of any crime or admitted acts, every New Zealander is entitled to justice — and that is all Mr Reti seeks from this referral.

“Like all of us, Mr Reti is pleased to live in a country that can admit its mistakes and fix them. He looks forward to the opportunity to fix this mistake.”

This is the fifth case the CCRC has referred back to the courts since it was established in 2020.

Two of these cases have been overturned.

The cases of Mikaere Oketopa and Frankie Edwards, have yet to be retried.

In total, the CCRC has received 581applications to reconsider convictions and sentences, and completed its assessment of 322 of these.