✝️ Bella Te Pania, age 33 – December 31 2019, Christchurch, New Zealand 🇳🇿💔
When Bella was pregnant with her daughter she went on methadone and exited prostitution, but walked the streets, when she needed money.
A friend remembers: „I remember once I had no money at all, she went out to the street for me and came back and gave me the cash so I could get food and cigarettes because I had no money.“
Bella was picked up from Christchurch’s red light district in the early hours by 43-year-old plasterer Kaine Van Hemert. Her bloodied body was found inside a ute at an Air New Zealand engineering and maintenance facility by Christchurch International Airport. She died a short time later.
Over Christmas last year, Van Hemert found out his ex-partner had a new man, the court heard. She noticed that Van Hemert’s mental health started to deteriorate and authorities were brought in on December 30. It was concluded that his mental health could be managed with medication – and he was left to sleep on the basis that family would admit Van Hemert to Hillmorton mental health facility the next day – December 31. However, during the night he took off, and around 3.47am was seen driving a Mazda ute in the red light district. He stole two number plates from other parked vehicles to hide his real registration.
Bella was picked up by him. They stopped in Burnside to talk money and services, and it was there than Van Hemert claims she got angry and lashed out. Van Hemert then pulled out a large knife similar to a fish filleting knife and stabbed Te Pania multiple times. He then bashed her over the head several times with a rock.