Loafers Lodge fire murder trial

The story so far

A fire at the Loafers Lodge hostel in Wellington in May 2023 killed five people.^{24 Aug 2025} The Crown alleged that a 50-year-old man lit the fire because he did not want to live at the hostel, and the High Court trial heard from firefighters, survivors, CCTV footage and 111 calls.^{24, 26, 27, 28, 29 Aug 2025; 1 Sep 2025} The defence argued the man was insane at the time, citing paranoid schizophrenia and a month without his medication, and the court heard he had absconded from a mental health facility weeks before the fire.^{1, 3, 4 Sep 2025} Psychiatrists gave differing views: one told the jury the man was insane, a Crown psychiatrist changed his earlier opinion after reviewing more evidence, and only one of six experts believed he was insane at the time.^{15, 16, 18 Sep 2025}

Latest

The verdict has been delivered, and a survivor of a 2009 machete attack by the same man has since spoken out.^{26, 29 Sep 2025}

Key moments

1. 24 Aug 2025Murder trial begins in the Wellington High Court, expected to run five weeks.
2. 3 Sep 2025Court hears the accused absconded from a mental health facility weeks before the fire.
3. 4 Sep 2025Jury reduced to 11 after a member left; defence cites missed medication.
4. 15 Sep 2025Psychiatrist tells jury the accused was insane at the time of the fire.
5. 16 Sep 2025Only one of six experts believes the accused was insane at the time.
6. 18 Sep 2025Crown psychiatrist says he changed his view after reviewing more evidence.
7. 23 Sep 2025Defence closes its case; the accused pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.
8. 26 Sep 2025Jury finds the accused guilty of five murders and one arson count.

Written from the stories below; each sentence links to its sources.