Three people have been jailed for at least 18 years for the callous and cruel killing of a Hamilton man, who was beaten to death then dumped in a rural water trough.

The fourth accused, Anton Rite, was found by Justice Timothy Brewer today to have played a lesser role, dismissing submissions by his co-accused, Mihingarangi Tynneal Rameka, Daniel Payne, 35, Neha Wiremu Grey, 40, that he was the one who killed Sao Yean during the early hours of March 13, 2020.

The four were all found guilty by a jury after a five-week trial in the High Court at Hamilton earlier this year of murdering Yean, also known as Sao Young, along with other violence charges for two other men who were assaulted beforehand.

Yean’s decomposing and broken body was found in a water trough of a Gordonton property, exactly a month after Rite and Grey dumped it there.

In jailing all four to life imprisonment, Justice Brewer said he did not believe Rameka, Payne and Grey’s version of events, adding that the level of callousness and cruelty involved in Yean’s death, elevated the seriousness of the murder.

“None of you [three] have shown empathy or remorse for Mr Yean. You largely deny culpability and you all have criminal records which are relevant to a greater or lesser extent.”

Rameka, 28, was jailed for life with a minimum non-parole period of 18 and a half years, Payne and Grey 18 years, and Rite, 11 years.

Justice Brewer found Rameka was the one who arranged for Yean to be brought to the property, Payne - a patched Black Power gang member - was “dominant” in the murder, Grey played a “full part”, while Rite had a central role in disposing of Yean’s body.

Due to the severe state of Yean’s decomposing body, forensic tests were unable to identify exactly how he died or the number of injuries suffered, however, an autopsy discovered multiple fractures in his skull and his shoulder.

• Jury finds four accused of Hamilton man's murder

He was also found to have swallowed blood which indicated he was alive during his beating.

Justice Brewer found it was likely he died a long and painful death.

He found that while there was no pre-meditation of the murder, their plan was formed during the course of the beating.

‘Sao has now been vindicated’

Yean’s family said in a statement Yean was a “father, son, brother and friend” who is “sadly missed”.

They felt he had now been “vindicated” by the outcome of the trial and its coverage.

“The sentencing has brought a close to what has been a long and difficult time for us as a family.

“We can now start to heal and move forward.”

The family thanked everyone involved in bringing those responsible to justice.

Acting Detective Inspector Andrew Saunders, Waikato Field Crime Manager, said no sentence handed down could give Sao back to their family.

“We recognise them today for their dedication to seeing justice done for their loved one.

“I would also like to acknowledge the dedication and professionalism of the investigators and trial team that did an outstanding job in getting justice for Sao and his family.”

What happened?

The beating arose after the overdose death of Black Power member Christopher Matatahi on New Year’s Eve 2019/2020.

Sao Yean, aka Sao Young, murder accused, from left Mihingarangi Tynneal Rameka, Anton Rite, Daniel Payne and Neha Grey in the High Court at Hamilton. Photos / Belinda Feek

Rameka supplied the contaminated drugs which led to his death, and was worried that she might be blamed.

Payne wanted to find out what happened and to get revenge if he could, while Grey was Payne’s “right-hand man” and would do anything he was told to do.

Payne and Rameka met and he accepted her explanation. She also had access to “a considerable” amount of methamphetamine and made it freely available to Payne who was “very happy to take it”, Justice Brewer said.

“Ms Rameka I think you did that partly to keep on Mr Payne’s good side and partly for the protection that he and Mr Grey offered.”

Two people were seriously assaulted before Yean was brought to Rameka’s Byron Rd home during the early hours of March 13, 2020.

There he was subjected to a beating so loud that his attackers asked for a speaker be brought into the garage, so that it could drown out his screams.

By 6.15am he was dead.

Grey and Rite then drove his body out to a Gordonton property and dumped it in the water trough.

The jury found Rameka guilty of two charges of kidnapping, two of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, one of injuring with intent to cause GBH and one of murder.

Payne and Grey were both found guilty of five charges each: three of kidnapping, one of wounding with intent to cause GBH, and one of murder.

Rite was found guilty on one charge of murder.

Belinda Feek is an Open Justice reporter based in Waikato. She has worked at NZME for eight years and been a journalist for 19.