Murder of Bob Kleiman
| Murder of Bob Kleiman | |
|---|---|
| Location | Lua error in Module:WikidataIB at line 665: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). |
| Date | Lua error in Module:WikidataIB at line 665: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). |
Attack type | Murder, accessory after the fact, perverting the course of justice |
| Weapon | .22 rifle |
| Deaths | 1 |
| Victim | Bob Kleiman |
| Perpetrators | Ike Wellington Kingi Leonie Farrell Stacy Jamieson |
The murder of Bob Kleiman occurred on the evening of 26 October 2022 in Whangārei, New Zealand. Kleiman, a 56-year-old resident, was shot and killed in a vacant house. His body was discovered the following day after the property owner alerted police.
Following a police investigation, Ike Wellington Kingi was convicted of murder and perverting the course of justice. Two of his associates, Leonie Farrell and Stacy Jamieson, were also found guilty on charges of being an accessory after the fact and perverting the course of justice.
Background
Bob Kleiman (c. 1966–2022) was a 56-year-old resident of Whangārei in the Northland Region of New Zealand.[1]
Investigation and trial
In early November 2022, police charged Ike Wellington Kingi with murder. Subsequent police operations related to the investigation also resulted in unrelated drug and firearm seizures.[2] Kingi's partner, Leonie Farrell, and an associate, Stacy Jamieson, were later charged as accessories after the fact and for attempting to pervert the course of justice.[3]
After an initial trial in June 2024 was aborted, a second trial at the High Court at Whangārei concluded in November 2024.[4]
Defence
Kingi's defence lawyer argued that the shooting was accidental. Kingi claimed that Kleiman had handed him the loaded rifle, which was missing its trigger guard, and that the weapon discharged by mistake as he went to sit down.[5] Farrell's defence claimed she was not actively involved in any obstruction of justice, as her focus was on her seven-week-old baby, who was with her in a vehicle outside the house.[5]
Verdict and sentencing
On 12 November 2024, the jury returned guilty verdicts for all three defendants in the main trial:[6]
Sentencing took place in the Whangārei High Court in February 2025. Justice David Johnstone described Kingi as the "leader" of the group. During sentencing, it was noted that both Kingi and Jamieson had methamphetamine addictions at the time of the murder. Kingi was handed a life sentence with a minimum non-parole period of 11.5 years.[7]
Victim impact
During sentencing, Kleiman's family gave emotional victim impact statements, describing him as a selfless and caring man who had immigrated from the Netherlands and was a pillar of support for his children and grandchildren. One of his daughters told the court that the "agonising pain" of losing her father had caused her memory loss and suicidal thoughts.[7]
References
- ↑ "Man whose body was found in Whangārei home named". 1News.
- ↑ "Arrests, drug seizures in Northland". RNZ.
- ↑ Pitman, Shannon (2023-05-03), "Third person charged in Northland murder case", Newstalk ZB, retrieved 2025-08-11
- ↑ "High Court trial starts in the alleged murder of Bob Kleiman". NZ Herald.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Murder trial: Did Ike Kingi shoot Bob Kleiman by mistake or was it intentional?". NZ Herald.
- ↑ "Jury finds Ike Kingi, Leonie Farrell, Stacy Jamieson guilty". NZ Herald.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Trio involved in Bob Kleiman's murder sent to prison - NZ Herald". NZ Herald.
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