Grace Millane and her killer in one of the last images take of her before she was murdered in his apartment in the CityLife building. (Photo / Supplied)

Grace Millane's Tinder messages with her killer revealed

Author: Anna Leask and Sam Hurley, NZ Herald,
Publish Date: Mon, 25 Nov 2019, 10:53AM

The Tinder messages between British backpacker Grace Millane and her murderer can now be revealed for the first time.

The messages show the murderer was the one pushing for a date with the 21-year-old, offering free drinks for her birthday to persuade her to meet with him.

At no stage in the Tinder messages is Millane the aggressor, nor does she discuss anything sexual or intimate.

During the trial the jury were shown the Tinder messages between Millane and her killer.

Justice Simon Moore granted the Herald permission to publish the messages.

Millane had set out on her OE and had only been in New Zealand for about 10 days when she was strangled to death by a man she met on Tinder in his central Auckland apartment.

Her killer then contorted her body into a suitcase he purchased specially from the Warehouse, drove her to the Waitakere Ranges and buried her in a shallow grave.

The Crown said the murderer - who has interim name suppression - spent five to 10 minutes strangling her and then took "trophy" photos of her body.

He then created a "labyrinth of storytelling and lies" while calmly disposing of her body and other evidence.

The murderer claimed her death was an accident and the result of choking during rough sex.

But the jury in his High Court trial reached a unanimous guilty verdict on Friday and he was convicted of murder.

They show the dialogue between Millane and the murderer - who appeared to be much more keen on the date than his victim.

On Friday, November 30 at 11.31pm the killer sent the first message saying "Hi Grace how are you? Much planned for your weekend?"

The beginning of Tinder messages between Grace Millane and her killer. Photo / supplied

Millane replied: "Hey, I'm good thanks and it's actually my birthday tomorrow but I have no plans."

He then says: "Oh sh*t happy birthday for tomorrow. Much planned for this evening then?"

"Ha ha thank you, I haven't," Millane wrote back.

The murderer suggests getting a drink and Millane says "yeah maybe".

"Maybe yes??" he writes.

"Convince me," says Millane.

The killer then says several times he will "shout" the drinks if the 21-year-old agrees to meet him.

He suggests a "cool Mexican place up near SkyCity" that does "great cocktails".

"Okay no to the Mexican but maybe to the cocktails," Millane responds.

The murderer then says: "Okay there's a few places up there that do great cocktails, how about we meet at SkyCity?"

"I haven't said yes yet?" said Millane.

Millane's killer appeared to be more enthusiastic about meeting than she did. Photo / supplied

Her soon-to-be killer keeps pushing.

"You haven't said no either. So what's it gonna take to make this happen then?" he messaged.

"Would be nice."

Millane tells him she only has casual clothes with her and he says that is "fine".

"So that is a yes? Meet up near SkyCity?" he persists.

By now it is almost 3am.

Millane tells him "okay" and tells him to add her on Facebook, giving him her full name.

She reminds him she is "literally in Converse" and he reiterates that her casual attire is "fine" and suggests they meet at 6pm that day.

CCTV footage showed the pair meeting near the Sky Tower at about 5.45pm - minutes after Millane sent a photo of the SkyCity Christmas tree to her family.

That was the last message they ever received from her.

Tinder messages between Millane and her killer have been released to the Herald by the court. The jury were shown these messages during his trial. Photo / supplied

After greeting her killer - who appears to see her and almost turn to walk away before carrying on to meet her - Millane walks with him to Andy's Burger Bar.

They pair would drink for five hours before going back to his apartment in the CityLife building on Queen St.

Further CCTV footage showed them kissing, hugging and entering the building looking relaxed and happy.

They leave the lift to go to his place - and Millane is never seen alive again.

During his trial the killer claimed Millane instigated the choking and effectively introduced him to it.

The jury heard she had an interest in BDSM but ultimately, believed the Crown case that Millane had been murdered.

SEXUAL HARM - DO YOU NEED HELP?

If it's an emergency and you feel that you or someone else is at risk, call 111.

If you've ever experienced sexual assault or abuse and need to talk to someone contact the Safe to Talk confidential crisis helpline on: