Third arrest in cold case killing
Police have arrested a 47-year-old man who they believe arranged the brutal killing of Angela Blackmoore nearly quarter of a century ago.
He is the third person to be charged with the pregnant mother’s murder.
Blackmoore, 21, was bludgeoned and stabbed 39 times in the kitchen-dining area of her home in the east Christchurch suburb of Wainoni on August 17, 1995.
It’s understood police will allege the man, due to appear in Queenstown District Court today, offered Jeremy Powell and a 48-year-old woman $10,000 to kill her. Powell, 45, has confessed to his role in the murder and is awaiting sentencing, while the woman, who has name suppression, denies any involvement.
The pair were arrested in October last year, several months after a Stuff investigation into the cold case, and the police offer of a record $100,000 reward.
According to the Crown summary of facts, Powell went to
Blackmoore’s Vancouver Cres home armed with a bat and a large knife, which he hid under a trench coat he was wearing. He struck Blackmoore numerous times with the weapons.
Powell said he was to be paid $10,000 to commit the murder. It’s unclear whether he ever received the money.
Several weeks ago a judge granted police a search warrant to obtain audio recordings of two interviews Stuff conducted with the arrested man last year.
Yesterday Detective Sergeant Todd Hamilton confirmed the latest arrest. ‘‘We continue to support Angela’s loved ones through this process.’’ He declined to comment further.
Blackmoore’s partner, Laurie Anderson, said he was ‘‘very happy’’ about the fresh development in the case.
‘‘It’s another person being held accountable for the tragic loss of Angela. Justice is being served.’’
Last year, prior to any arrests in connection with Blackmoore’s murder, police told Stuff that the
47-year-old man was a ‘‘person of interest’’ to their inquiry. He had been interviewed on numerous occasions, but denied involvement.
At the time of her death, Blackmoore was living with Anderson and had recently learned she was pregnant. Anderson found her mutilated body in the kitchen-dining area of their home when he returned home from work about 11.20pm. Blackmoore’s 2-year-old son was asleep in bed unharmed.
Police believe she was killed not long after a pizza was delivered to the property about
9pm. She was known to be very security conscious and would not let anyone into the house who she didn’t know.