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‘I can’t stand by’: Sister of slain teen’s mission to have all murderers jailed for life

Author
Neil Reid, NZ Herald,
Publish Date
Sat, 17 Jun 2023, 4:35pm

‘I can’t stand by’: Sister of slain teen’s mission to have all murderers jailed for life

Author
Neil Reid, NZ Herald,
Publish Date
Sat, 17 Jun 2023, 4:35pm

WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT

More than nine months have passed since Ariki Rigby鈥檚 brutalised body was found in a torched car in rural Hawke鈥檚 Bay. As her killers remain at large, her sister talked to Neil Reid about the long wait for justice and how she wants to help other families affected by horrendous crimes.

Tears well in Anaher膩 Rigby鈥檚 eyes as she looks around River Rd Recreational Reserve.

For most who visit the bush-clad park on the outskirts of Havelock North 鈥 including dog walkers, picnic groups and mountain bikers 鈥 the reserve overlooking Tukituki River is a place of joy and tranquillity.

But for Anaher膩, it is a place of the deepest of sorrow and pain; the spot where her 18-year-old sister鈥檚 killers cut Ariki鈥檚 hands and feet off before shoving her badly beaten body in the back of a car and setting it alight in early September.

For the past nine months, Anaher膩 has made numerous impassioned pleas via the听贬别谤补濒诲听for those who know who murdered Ariki to come forward.

And now she has become involved in a group pushing for harsher sentences for killers 鈥 including mandatory non-release life sentences for murderers 鈥 and trying to secure a permanent memorial for Ariki where her body was discovered.

鈥淚t is tough being here,鈥 Anaher膩 told the听贬别谤补濒诲听during a recent visit to the scene.

鈥淚t is like I feel dead inside coming here . . . I feel nothing. It is like I am absent of joy coming here.

鈥淎nd I don鈥檛 like feeling like that, which is the reason why I want to make this place beautiful so we can come back here.鈥

Ariki Rigby's body was found in a burnt-out car in River Rd Recreation Reserve, Havelock North, on September 5, 2022. Photo / Supplied

Ariki Rigby's body was found in a burnt-out car in River Rd Recreation Reserve, Havelock North, on September 5, 2022. Photo / Supplied

Either late in the evening of Friday, September 2, or in the early hours of Saturday, September 3, the car 鈥 a mid-90s dark grey Toyota Corona 鈥 was driven to the reserve and then torched.

The wreck was reported to police on September 3. The officers who attended deemed Ariki鈥檚 remains were those of a sheep.

A tow truck was booked to take it to a wrecking yard two days later, but police returned to the scene that day after being told by a dog walker who looked into the car and realised the body 鈥 which had shoulder-length hair and was wearing a necklace 鈥 was human.

鈥淣o one deserves to die like that,鈥 Anaher膩 - who revealed in April her sister鈥檚 hands and feet had been cut off 鈥 said.

Ariki had been living in Auckland but was killed on what was believed to be her last day on holiday in Hawke鈥檚 Bay 鈥 where she was raised 鈥 before her planned return north.

Anaher膩 Rigby says she will not give up until those responsible for Ariki's murder are bought to justice. Photo / Neil Reid

Anaher膩 Rigby says she will not give up until those responsible for Ariki's murder are bought to justice. Photo / Neil Reid

As well as dealing with the pain of losing Ariki in the shocking crime, the Rigby family has had to endure the heartache of the initial police mistake, plus a near-10-month wait for answers over their loved one鈥檚 slaying.

Anaher膩 says she believes multiple 鈥済ang-affiliated鈥 people were responsible, and the motive was 鈥渏ealousy and drugs鈥.

This week, police told the听Herald听鈥渋nquiries are ongoing鈥. In a statement, a spokesperson said there were no further 鈥渦pdates to share at this time鈥.

On May 10 police were more forthcoming; Detective Inspector David de Lange said police were committed to 鈥渉olding the person or persons responsible鈥 for her death to account.

鈥淎t the moment our focus remains on the active investigation into Ariki鈥檚 death. This includes analysis of all evidence to date,鈥 de Lange said.

鈥淲e reiterate that the investigation remains at a sensitive stage and we are continuing to make progress.鈥

Anaher膩 said she realised police had to be careful how much information they shared with her family so as not to compromise the investigation.

Family of Ariki Rigby have placed flyers in shops around Hastings and Flaxmere appealing for information. Photo / Neil Reid

Family of Ariki Rigby have placed flyers in shops around Hastings and Flaxmere appealing for information. Photo / Neil Reid

But that wasn鈥檛 much consolation to the deep feeling of loss they were suffering. She said, nine months on, it still 鈥渇eels like we have just her鈥.

Anaher膩 believed some people hadn鈥檛 provided statements to police for fear of their own safety.

鈥淧eople lie when they see a uniform,鈥 she said.

鈥淎nd people don鈥檛 want to get caught talking to people in a uniform because even that gets them in trouble, especially when it is gang-related. Their saying is, 鈥榮nitches get stitches鈥.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 know why [people] are raised like that, it is just a yuck motto.鈥

Other information had been relayed to police from family members approached by people who didn鈥檛 want to talk directly to the police, Anaher膩 said.

Since mid-September, family and friends of Ariki have been placing flyers at shops and public places around Hastings and Flaxmere urging anyone with information to come forward to them or Crime Stoppers anonymously.

On what would have been her 19th birthday, flowers, cards - including one which says "I love you" - balloons and other tributes have been placed at the site where Ariki Rigby's body was found. Photo / Neil Reid

On what would have been her 19th birthday, flowers, cards - including one which says "I love you" - balloons and other tributes have been placed at the site where Ariki Rigby's body was found. Photo / Neil Reid

Anaher膩 is a member of the recently created United as One, Unite for All; a group trying to raise awareness of missing persons cases and unsolved serious crimes, as well as push for greater scrutiny of police and harsher sentences.

Being part of the not-for-profit organisation had exposed her to some families who had been waiting more than a decade for justice after losing loved ones to homicide.

Such a long wait for answers and justice was something she would do all she could to ensure her family avoided.

鈥淚 am refusing to sit here for maybe years and years and waiting for nothing to happen. I can鈥檛 sit there and wait that long,鈥 Anaher膩 said.

鈥淔or me, [the police] have only got a certain amount of time before we do our own investigation again. People do get threatened about giving information and I guess that is one of the problems with trying to solve the case unless we are actively trying to do it as well at the same time.鈥

Police officers scour the area near where the torched car containing Ariki Rigby's was found in a rural carpark in September. Photo / Neil Reid

Police officers scour the area near where the torched car containing Ariki Rigby's was found in a rural carpark in September. Photo / Neil Reid

Earlier this month Anaher膩 and other members of Unite as One, Unite for All marched through Wellington鈥檚 CBD before presenting a petition to Parliament calling for better 鈥渃ompetency鈥 from frontline officers.

Unite as One, Unite for All was created by Breanna Muriwai鈥檚 mother, Jasmin Gray, earlier this year.

Among cases they are raising awareness of are the Ariki Rigby homicide, plus the missing person鈥檚 cases of Muriwai and Lower Hutt man Omri Collins; last seen leaving a Wellington motel on August 31.

Breanna Muriwai was last seen in August and her family believes she is a victim of homicide. Photo / Supplied

Breanna Muriwai was last seen in August and her family believes she is a victim of homicide. Photo / Supplied

Collins鈥 family spoke late last year about how they fear their loved one had been killed.

The group hopes to be advocates to raise awareness for unsolved homicide and missing persons鈥 cases around New Zealand.

Unite as One, Unite for All presented a petition to Parliament calling for better 鈥渃ompetency鈥 from frontline officers, including bigger scrutiny on those who make errors during investigations.

In a message to its 5700 online followers, Gray said there had been an 鈥渁wesome turnout鈥 to the public march earlier this month.

鈥淎nd the ones that were there in heart and spirit, I know you couldn鈥檛 make it, but I know that you were thinking of us,鈥 Gray said.

She said it was then an 鈥渁mazing feeling鈥 to have the chance to talk to Justice Minister Kiri Allan.

Wellington man Omri Collins was last seen leaving a motel on August 11. His family are part of Unite as One, Unite for All. Photo / Supplied

Wellington man Omri Collins was last seen leaving a motel on August 11. His family are part of Unite as One, Unite for All. Photo / Supplied

鈥淪he heard us, she listened to us,鈥 Gray said of the 35-minute meeting.

鈥淪he was asking questions of what we felt needed to change. There are a lot of things about the justice system that need to change.鈥

Anaher膩 said she was among members who were set to campaign publicly for mandatory life with no chance of parole sentences for murderers.

鈥淚 want to try and push for a change of legislation so that what happens in Aotearoa is fair,鈥 she said.

鈥淚f you take a life, you shouldn鈥檛 be able to just spend a quarter of your life in there and then get out and live the rest of your life as if you didn鈥檛 murder someone. Life should be life.

Ariki Rigby had dreams of a music career and had also considered moving to Australia to live with Queensland-based relatives. Photo / Supplied

Ariki Rigby had dreams of a music career and had also considered moving to Australia to live with Queensland-based relatives. Photo / Supplied

鈥淎t the moment people might think, 鈥榦h well, I will only go away for a 15-year lag and then I鈥檒l get out. See yas when I get out, brothers鈥. That is what it is like.

鈥淭hey don鈥檛 see it as their punishment . . . it is like going to a boot camp; you get to work out, you get fed, read books and get qualifications . . . what kind of a punishment is that?鈥

Being part of Unite as One, Unite for All had given Anaher膩 an opportunity to take her mind off of her own deep grieving and offer support to other families; including that of missing woman Breanna Muriwai, who was last seen on the K膩piti Coast in August 2022.

Her family believe she was killed and have claimed they know the identities of those involved.

鈥淚 realise that a lot of other people know my pain,鈥 Anaher膩 said. 鈥淭hat is the saddest thing. But helping others out always makes you feel good.鈥

Anaher膩 Rigby says murderers who take a life should serve a prison sentence for the remainder of their own life. Photo / Neil Reid

Anaher膩 Rigby says murderers who take a life should serve a prison sentence for the remainder of their own life. Photo / Neil Reid

Ariki was killed about a month before she was set to turn 19.

She had dreams of pursuing a music career. She had also contemplated moving to Australia to live with Queensland-based relatives.

Anaher膩 told the听贬别谤补濒诲听in January how she believed multiple 鈥済ang-affiliated鈥 people were responsible for her murder.

鈥淔or them to get away with it, there must have been a lot of them,鈥 she said.

鈥淎nd still to get away with it, they must have had a plan . . . if the police can鈥檛 find them, obviously it [the incident and the ongoing freedom of the killers] was not an accident.鈥

In April she went further, saying she believed 鈥渏ealousy and drugs鈥 were the motive.

She believed her sister was either 鈥渄oing drugs or selling them鈥.

T shirts are set to be sold and funds raised will contribute towards teen homicide victim Ariki Rigby's headstone, unveiling and a permanent memorial. Photo / Supplied

T shirts are set to be sold and funds raised will contribute towards teen homicide victim Ariki Rigby's headstone, unveiling and a permanent memorial. Photo / Supplied

鈥淓ven though I am answering that question and saying jealousy and drugs, I am still sitting here thinking, well that is not enough to do something so horrible to somebody.鈥

Auckland-based Anaher膩 visited Hawke鈥檚 Bay recently on the way to and from the march in Wellington.

She paid a special visit to the temporary memorial erected by friends and family at River Road Recreational Reserve.

The place of remembrance includes flowers, solar lights, handwritten cards and a number plate featuring Ariki鈥檚 name.

Anaher膩 is in discussions with the Hastings District Council to have a permanent memorial installed at the park.

Each day she hopes she will receive a phone call bringing news of a major breakthrough in the police investigation.

But whenever that call may come, Anaher膩 knows the pain of losing her younger sister will last forever.

鈥淚t is now about us trying to get over it all, move forward ... and that sucks, it will be hard,鈥 she said.

鈥淭here will be a lot of healing in that.鈥

  • Police urge anyone with information to contact them via 105, quoting file 220905/1265. Information can also be provided via Crime Stoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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