Teen duo convicted of murder in frenzied stabbing following traffic dispute

In a suburban street on Auckland’s North Shore, what began as a minor traffic disagreement escalated into a tragic murder.

Two teenagers, aged 17 and 14 at the time, were found guilty of the brutal murder of 28-year-old Joshuah Tasi.

The incident unfolded after Tasi, reacting to a road blockage caused by the teens’ vehicle, honked his horn and called them ‘dickheads’. This led to a chase, a minor crash, and ultimately a deadly confrontation.

During the trial, the Crown prosecutor described the attack as both sudden and violent, with Tasi having no avenue for escape as he was stabbed multiple times to the face, head and torso in a matter of seconds.

‘They acted in unison,’ Crown prosecutor Brett Tantrum said during his closing address. Both offenders took off their shirts and got out of the BMW before approaching both front doors of Tasi’s vehicle.

Tasi suffered multiple stab wounds to his head and upper body, including two that were delivered with such force they went in one side of his body and out the other. The fatal knife thrust penetrated a rib bone and pierced his lung. It would have caused his death within minutes, a pathologist estimated.

Relatives of both the victim and the defendants filled the gallery.

The defendants, who still have their names suppressed, exhibited contrasting demeanors, according to a report in legacy media; the younger seemed nervous, while their actions post-attack were described as disturbingly celebratory, suggesting a lack of remorse and an understanding of the gravity of their actions. The defense argued the youths were caught in a moment of heated reaction without a premeditated plan to kill, highlighting the impulsivity and psychological immaturity of teenagers.

The community and Tasi’s coworkers at RJ Don Panelbeaters remembered him as a vibrant and talented individual, known for his musical talent and happy demeanour.

Sentencing is set for July.