"I hope you are haunted by her face every time you close your eyes." That was what one of Chontel Wiki-O'Brien's whānau told her killer when she faced him down in the High Court at Auckland this morning.
Palmer Edward Marsters was sentenced to life imprisonment in the High Court at Auckland today. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi
Palmer Edward Marsters, 32, has been jailed for life with a minimum non-parole period of 12 years for murdering his 23-year-old girlfriend last November.
He has been handed a concurrent 20-month sentence on two other charges relating to a family violence incident about a week before Wiki-O'Brien's death.
Marsters was on bail when he stabbed her at least three times, before leaving her body in the passenger seat of his car and setting it on fire.
In victim impact statements to the court, Wiki-O'Brien's whānau said she had been subjected to sustained violence at the hands of Marsters.
"You preyed on her, you manipulated her, you made her live with a life that was no good for her, you used her, you beat her over and over again," one family member said.
Over the course of their five-month relationship, family members said she suffered all sorts of abuse.
"She had been thrown out of the car by you, she was a mess physically and mentally, she had grazing to her arms, sides and back, I then noticed a real bad scar, not a fresh scar, and not that old."
A family member said Wiki-O'Brien's mother is still having nightmares about burning cars and she still wakes up crying on a regular basis.
In a victim impact statement read to the court by another family member, Wiki-O'Brien's brother said he still missed his sister a lot.
"I miss her big smiley smile, I miss my big sister so much. It makes me mad that I didn't have that moment to tell my sister, 'I love you'."
Others spoke of the pain the death of a daughter, niece, sister and cousin has caused.
"It's unforgivable we have not been able to mourn her as us Māori do, no open casket, no laying in state at our marae in the Far North."
Justice Walker said Marsters stabbed Wiki-O'Brien at least three times in the chest.
He then parked his car on the side of the road, left her body on the passenger's seat and set the car alight.
Marsters handed himself in to the police at the cordon, after emergency services arrived.
According to documents previously released by the court, Wiki-O'Brien's body was so badly damaged by the fire, DNA and medical records were needed to identify her.
When he killed Wiki-O'Brien, Marsters was on bail, after being charged a week earlier over a family violence incident, sparked by an argument over Wiki-O'Brien's refusal to move in with him.
Justice Walker said Marsters put an extension cord around Wiki-O'Brien's neck, threw her to the ground, punched her in the face and pushed her out of a moving car.
He was charged with male assaults female and injuring with intent to injure.
One of his bail conditions was not to associate with or contact Wiki-O'Brien.
"In flagrant disregard to the condition, on 3 November 2020, you contacted Ms Wiki-O'Brien attempting to persuade her to drop the charges. You agreed to meet a short distance from her home, you picked her up from her address in Weymouth, you drove around Auckland together," Justice Walker said.
It is not known exactly when Wiki-O'Brien died, but emergency services were called to the scene of the car fire in the early hours of 4 November 2020.
Defence lawyer Phil Hamlin said Marsters accepted responsibility for Wiki-O'Brien's death.
However, Hamlin said his client denied having any pre-meditated plans to injure Wiki-O'Brien, which was why he handed himself in.
Where to get help:
Women's Refuge: (0800 733 843)
It's Not OK (0800 456 450)
Shine: 0508 744 633
Victim Support: 0800 650 654
HELP Call 24/7 (Auckland): 09 623 1700, (Wellington): be 04 801 6655 - 0
The National Network of Family Violence Services NZ has information on specialist family violence agencies.