A jury has returned guilty verdicts in the trial of two men charged following a fatal house fire in east Auckland in 2020.
Personal trainer Wiremu Arapo, 27, was found dead after his two-storey home in Minerva Terrace, Cockle Bay, was damaged in a blaze on October 20 three years ago.
Following the incident, police arrested and charged Sean Hayde and Gregory Hart over Arapo’s death.
The pair have been on trial at the Auckland High Court before a jury and Justice Geoffrey Venning since September 11.
The jury today found Hayde guilty of Arapo’s murder and perverting the course of justice.
He was also found guilty of assault and threatening to kill in relation to a domestic violence incident involving a former partner.
Hart was found guilty of manslaughter and perverting the course of justice.
Venning remanded the pair in custody to be sentenced in November.
Following the verdicts, detective inspector Warrick Adkin of Counties Manukau Police’s criminal investigation branch said police will comment further following the sentencing of Hayde and Hart.
“However, today I would like to acknowledge Wiremu’s whanau for their courage throughout this process and the investigation team for their diligent work.
“This has been an emotional ordeal for Wiremu’s whanau who have shown strength throughout the trial, and over these past three years, while they have waited to ensure justice prevailed for their boy’s death.”
On the day following the fatal fire, the Times spoke to Arapo’s neighbour Mike Rowse, who was home watching TV with his wife and son when they heard the blaze break out.
Rowse said his family “heard some popping going off” and initially thought it was fireworks.
“Then we heard our landlord upstairs yelling and my wife said, ‘Did he just say the house is on fire?’
“We opened up the front door and looked across and could see flames and the smoke drifting out across [the property].”
Rowse phoned 111 while his wife and son ran up their driveway to see what was happening next door. He then heard fire trucks arriving at the scene.
“I could see a fella running around. He just had shorts on and was running up the back steps and he was yelling.
“Then I heard my wife say, ‘Get out of the house, get out of the house’, and I then heard him say there’s someone inside. She said, ‘Get out!’
“My wife said he was apparently trying to get a blanket over his head to go back into the house.
“By that time I had got off the phone and came back down to put some shoes on in case I had to hop the fence and go and lend a hand.
“I saw another guy who was fully clothed. He ran around the side of the house and was looking pretty panicked.
“Then the fire service arrived and started getting into their work and putting the fire out.
“Once they had a hose on it, it died down pretty quickly.”
Rowse said when he walked up his driveway during the incident he saw six or seven police cars, four fire trucks, and three ambulances in Minerva Terrace.
“They had blocked off the street from roundabout to roundabout.”
He later saw the man wearing shorts standing outside the house with his hands on his head and being given a bowl of water.
Rowse said he hadn’t spoken to the people living at the property before but often heard them playing music.
“They had only been there about a year and the only time I ever saw them was when they were mowing the lawn.
“I figured they work from home and they just like loud music.”
