Anaru Moana murder trial: Defence says Crown can’t prove a gun was used in retribution killing

Burt and Boden are also charged with kidnapping and injuring with intent.

The trial before a jury and Justice Christine Gordon began yesterday and is scheduled to take up to eight weeks.

A fifth person, Joseph Cropley, is charged with kidnapping and injuring with intent regarding an alleged attack on another associate, and has also pleaded not guilty.

Joseph Cropley was also charged with kidnapping and injuring with intent. Photo / George Heard

After Moana’s mother died on December 20, 2021, Korina Boyes picked Moana up and drove him to Kelceys Bush, near Waimate, on the pretence of walking Boyes’ dog together, the court has heard.

There, Burt and Boden were lying in wait, the Crown alleges.

They say when Korina Boyes drove Moana to the bush, Burt and Boden were waiting to hand out his punishment. Months earlier, Moana and an associate had allegedly stolen meth and cash totalling about $60,000 from a car belonging to Burt in Oamaru.

The court heard how Moana’s associate was “battered” two months earlier after a group of men, including Boden and Cropley, attacked him over the theft, dragging him into a car before dropping him in a gravel pit outside of Oamaru.

The prosecution then shifted to Moana, who had evaded Burt and Boden for more than two months.

Today, one of the men’s lawyers said his client accepted he was involved in an unlawful act that led to Moana’s death in Kelceys Bush, but there was no murderous intention to kill Moana.

Aaron Boden is on trial accused of murder. Photo / George Heard

Another lawyer told the jury “not every death is a murder” and the Crown would have to prove there was an intention to kill Moana by assaulting him, an intention which all defendants deny.

It was agreed a firearm was brought into the bush, but lawyers said the Crown couldn’t prove a gun was used to kill Moana.

Hayden Burt denies murdering Anaru Moana. Photo / George Heard

Korina Boyes’ lawyer said her client denied knowledge of any plan to kill Moana, and that when she picked up her brother Cody and his gun, she did not know he was carrying a weapon.

Korina Boyes appears in the High Court at Christchurch. Photo / George Heard

The Crown said all four defendants acted with murderous intent and are guilty.

Cody Boyes denies murder and is standing trial with three others at the High Court at Christchurch. Photo / George Heard

Moana was reported missing by his family on December 23, 2021, and police began investigating.

It later emerged that before Moana was reported missing, a silver Subaru was found burned out on State Highway 1 near the Waihao area.

Anaru Moana’s burned out car, found before he was reported missing. Photo / NZ Police

Police carried out extensive searches in waterways around that location and at other sites in Waitaki and Waimate connected to the car and other evidence.

On November 8, 2022, the National Dive Squad began searching waterways near where the burned-out car had been found and a week later Burt and Boden were formally charged.

The Crown alleges Anaru Moana was beaten to death and his body dumped in a river. Photo / Supplied

Cody Boyes was charged in July 2024 and his older sister in March 2025.