It was supposed to be a quiet night at a mate's place, playing scrabble.
But there was an argument, and a fight.
Over 10 bloody, violent minutes, Rotorua man Brendon Tahau was stabbed and beaten to death.
The 26-year-old had been bashed at least 40 times with an aluminium baseball bat and knifed at least five times in the back.
In the High Court at Rotorua yesterday a Rotorua pair admitted killing him.
James Wharetakahia Hamiora, 22, unemployed, pleaded guilty to Mr Tahau's murder.
His associate Gabriel John Kingi, who turns 19 next week, pleaded guilty to manslaughter.
They showed little emotion when the charges were put to them and one of the men lifted his arm at family members in the public gallery as he was being escorted away.
Last August 25, Mr Tahau had visited a friend on Brookland Rd.
They had settled in for a night of scrabble.
Hamiora, Kingi and another man turned up at the house.
While Hamiora and Kingi were known to the residents, they didn't know the third man.
When Mr Tahau took exception to the way Hamiora was speaking to his friends, Hamiora held up a bullet and put a cigarette against it.
He said he was going to shoot a hole through the wall with it.
Mr Tahau told Hamiora not to disrespect his friend's house and the pair argued.
Hamiora went to get a silver aluminium baseball bat from his car.
He returned and began hitting Mr Tahau. Kingi joined in, punching Mr Tahau.
A woman left the house to get help.
A younger male locked himself in the toilet, fearing for his safety.
Other men tried to intervene to break up the attack.
At one stage Hamiora was taken outside but he returned, continuing to assault Mr Tahau.
Mr Tahau tried to get away, screaming at them "what is the matter? What is your problem?"
At this stage Hamiora stabbed Mr Tahau in the back at least five times while Kingi continued to punch him and hit him with the bat.
Mr Tahau fell face first to the ground. His back was covered in blood.
Both Hamiora and Kingi had hit Mr Tahau at least 30 to 40 times with the bat over a 10-minute period.
Other people at the house managed to convince Hamiora and Kingi the police were on their way.
The pair left, smashing the windows and headlights of Mr Tahau's car.
Hamiora's finger was bleeding and his blood was left all over the deceased's vehicle and the driveway.
Mr Tahau had numerous injuries to his head, body and limbs including a fractured leg.
He died a short time later as a result of a stab wound to his left lung.
When police found Hamiora and Kingi they admitted they had been at the Brookland Rd house earlier.
Hamiora admitted hitting Mr Tahau four times with the baseball bat but said he was not responsible for the stabbing.
Kingi said he had punched Mr Tahau a few times but denied any knowledge of Hamiora using a knife, saying he did not know Mr Tahau had been stabbed.
Justice John Hansen remanded the pair in custody for sentencing in the High Court at Rotorua on October 13.
scrabble kills.
