A Northland woman killed her cousin and assaulted her partner because she was jealous of how well the two were getting on, court documents reveal. 

Kaytee Ngaire Tahau, 48, has admitted murdering Saralee Moke in April 2024 at Houhora Heads Holiday Park in the Far North. 

She also admitted assaulting another woman, Renee Bevan, with a weapon. She will be sentenced for both crimes in October. 

Court documents obtained by the Northern Advocate reveal more details about what happened on the fateful night when Moke died. 

Tahau was working at the holiday park as a cleaner and living in the cleaner’s caravan, according to the Crown’s summary of facts. 

Her partner, Bevan, was visiting from Australia while Moke – who is Tahau’s cousin – was also visiting and staying in a tent next to the caravan. 

During Bevan’s short visit, Tahau accused her partner of “having a thing” for her cousin, striking her one night in jealousy. 

On April 3, she got verbally angry with her partner for bringing her cousin on a drive, but later apologised. 

As it was Bevan’s last night in New Zealand, Moke hired a cabin as a gift for the pair, and the three women had some drinks, with all three becoming drunk. 

Tahau and Bevan then went to their cabin and had a couple more beers, before Tahau fell asleep. 

Bevan then went to the caravan where Moke was staying, and the two had some cigarettes and drinks together. 

When Bevan went to go back to the cabin, Moke walked with her and Tahau woke up angry that her partner had gone to drink with her cousin. 

She hit her partner and pushed her cousin, before a fight broke out between the two cousins, who both punched each other and pulled each other’s hair. 

After hitting her cousin in the head with a mug, Tahau walked out of the cabin. Bevan locked her out because she was so scared. 

After 15 to 20 minutes, Tahau came back asking for her keys and phone, and for the door to be opened. 

Bevan and Moke eventually opened the door, and a fight between the two cousins began again. 

Tahau walked out again from the cabin and Bevan followed. Tahau again accused her partner of having a thing for her cousin, hitting her over the head several times with part of a mirror frame already in her hands after the fights with her cousin. 

Bevan ended up cowering on the ground, with her cheek and ear bleeding from the broken wood. 

Tahau then threw Bevan’s clothes out of the cabin on to the ground and ripped up photos of them. 

Moke tried to protest and the two cousins started fighting for the third time, with both getting on top of the other at times and throwing punches. 

When the two cousins eventually let each other go, Tahau walked to the caravan and got a 30cm-long kitchen knife from the knife block. 

She walked up to Bevan on a deck, who ran and jumped off the deck to escape. 

Houhora Heads Holiday Park, a popular holiday destination, is where Kaytee Tahau was working as a cleaner when her cousin and partner came to stay. Photo / NZME 

Moke then came up on to the deck and the cousins started to scuffle again. Moke was stabbed but when Bevan started screaming for help, both cousins told her to be quiet. 

Bevan ran up the track screaming and yelling for help, with other people coming to assist and emergency services arriving not long afterwards. 

Paramedics were unable to resuscitate Moke and she was pronounced dead at the scene. 

She died from multiple stab wounds, including a 10cm-deep stab wound in her abdomen, a wound on her left arm and smaller cuts on her head, left ear, abdomen and left foot. She also had a number of abrasions all over her body. 

Tahau watched paramedics trying to revive her cousin and said: “I’m going to jail”. 

She admitted to police she stabbed the victim after a big fight broke out between the three women, saying she was being attacked by her cousin and wanted her to stop. 

In July this year, she pleaded guilty to murder and assault with a weapon in the High Court at Whangārei. 

Tahau faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. She will be sentenced on October 10. 

Denise Piper is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on health and business. She has more than 20 years in journalism and is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.