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Offender Databases Tony Tiumalu

Tony Tiumalu

Alias

.

Offences

Murder of his ex girlfriend in Titahi Bay in February 2005 by repeated stabbing

Victims

Susanna Brown

Offender Affiliations

.

Gang affiliations

none known

Age

Born 1972

Current Location

Prison

Parole/Release Dates

Sentenced to life imprisonment with a 14 year non-parole period in November 2006
Eligible for parole from March 2019

Background
NZ Herald story here
From the Dominion Post 7th September 2006

Family members of a woman fatally stabbed more than 20 times clapped and cried when a jury at the High Court in Wellington found her ex-lover guilty of her murder. Tony Tiumalu, 34, a painter from Porirua, pleaded not guilty to murdering Susanna Lemina Brown on her 33rd birthday on February 22 last year. Ms Brown died from massive blood loss and multiple stab wounds to the chest and back that perforated her heart. She was also cut about the hands and arms, described as defence wounds, as she sat in the driver's seat of a parked car. During his trial, Tiumalu told the court his relationship with Ms Brown had always been strange and the couple broke up frequently. Ms Brown would choose to see him or not depending on her moods, he said. On the day of the killing he went to Ms Brown's house with flowers for her birthday then the pair went for a drive to Titahi Bay beach.

Tiumalu said Ms Brown had broken up with him a number of weeks earlier and was again telling him the relationship was over. He said she was taunting him by telling him about the other men she was seeing, including Tiumalu's neighbour; her ex-partner - the father of her five children; and a new man. Tiumalu said he lost his cool, remembered a knife that was in the back of his car, grabbed it, and "did what I did". He told the court he then stabbed himself three times but threw the knife out the car window when he realised he had bent it. Crown prosecutor Grant Burston said the offence was murder because the knife attack was planned. Tiumalu was a spurned, jealous lover who killed Ms Brown because he knew he was never going to get her back. Tiumalu's lawyer Greg King argued his client had temporarily lost his power of self control and had a partial defence of provocation.

Mr King said this meant Tiumalu was guilty of manslaughter, but not murder. The jury deliberated for more than nine hours before reaching their decision. Ms Brown's mother Malia Brown said the truth had come out. She said when she heard the verdict she was so happy it felt like she was flying. Mrs Brown said she does not want to even see Tiumalu, but asks God every day to forgive him. She said now her daughter could have some peace. Officer in charge of the case Detective Sergeant Mark Buttar said he was very pleased with the verdict, particularly for Ms Brown's family. "The last 18 months have been really taxing and harrowing on the family and it's come to the crescendo for the trial." Ms Brown's parents had also had the added stress of giving evidence, Mr Buttar said. He said the huge tragedy of the case was Ms Brown's five children who would now have to go through life without having their mother present. Justice Denis Clifford remanded Tiumalu in custody for sentencing on November 9.

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Corrections and Additional Information
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