Auckland double murderer Mikaere Puata-Chaney appears in behind-bars Instagram account

An Auckland man who killed his former partner and her father is appearing in Instagram photos taken behind bars in flagrant contravention of prison rules as he serves a life sentence for the
murders.

Patched Head Hunter Mikaere Puata-Chaney has appeared in several photos posted on an Instagram account since early December. The account’s bio reads “my life thru jail bars”.

They show him and other inmates, including members of the Killer Beez and Head Hunters, inside Kohuora Auckland South Corrections Facility, a privately run prison operated by Serco under contract from Corrections.

One features a group photo of more than two dozen inmates in a prison yard.

Another photo, posted on January 7, shows him wearing sunglasses alongside a fellow prisoner, captioned “Anyone else spend New Years in SRU [Separation and Reintegration Unit]?”

The SRU houses prisoners on directed segregation, where inmates are kept away from the general population, sometimes as a punishment.

A Serco spokeswoman said in a statement it learned of the Instagram account on December 31.

That day, staff searched cells for contraband, finding and seizing a mobile phone, the spokeswoman said.

But the seizure has not stopped photos of Chaney appearing on the account.

“A request has been made to Instagram to remove the account and appropriate disciplinary action has been taken,” Serco’s statement said.

The spokeswoman said they believed the photo posted on January 7 was taken at least a week earlier.

As a result, they believed the account could be controlled by someone outside the prison, she said.

The Herald understands many inmates across New Zealand’s prison network, particularly senior gang members, have access to mobile phones despite the fact phones are banned inside.

Last year, notorious trans-national bikie gang the Comancheros managed to smuggle a phone inside Auckland prison at Pāremoremo.

They filmed a video starring the gang’s national president, Pasilika Naufahu, showing members performing a haka inside the high-security prison. Photographs taken inside showed them posing alongside the caption “Free the Comanchero”.

Videos have also appeared on TikTok showing gang members fighting inside Pāremoremo.

Puata-Chaney was on electronically monitored bail for his part in a high-profile hotel shooting when he murdered Geoffrey and Eliza Trubuhovich on July 15, 2022

He pleaded guilty to the killings in March last year.

Eliza Trubuhovich, 34, was a freelance photographer and owned a streetwear store in Auckland.

Geoffrey Trubuhovich, 75, was described as a devoted father and “the quintessential Kiwi bloke” who loved classic cars, fixing things around the house, metal detecting and good books.

At sentencing on July 27, Justice Rebecca Edwards imposed a minimum period of imprisonment of 20-and-a-half years on Puata-Chaney’s life sentence.

“It is clear to me they are both warm, caring, decent people,” Justice Edwards said of the victims.

“They did not deserve to die in such a brutal way.

“You were ruthless, uncompromising and callously indifferent that day.”

Puata-Chaney and Trubuhovich had been in a relationship for about a year but had been broken up for months, although they kept in contact as they shared custody of their dog.

He was jealous that she might be seeing another man, court documents show. The two had argued on the phone for an extended period on Friday, July 15, the day of the shooting.

After the call ended, Puata-Chaney drove 7.5km from his Te Atatu Peninsula home to the Glendene property where she lived with her family, in breach of his bail conditions

He was already on electronically monitored bail, barred from leaving his home without permission, as he awaited trial for his part in a high-profile gang warfare shooting inside the lobby of the Sofitel, which sent staff of the five-star viaduct hotel running for cover.

When he arrived at the Trubuhovich home, he forced open the door and dragged out his ex-partner as she yelled, “No, no, no!”

Puata-Chaney opened fire on her father when he went outside to investigate the commotion.

He was shot multiple times, including a fatal wound to his heart.

“It seems clear that he was trying to protect his daughter,” Justice Edwards said as she summarised the case.

The defendant then turned the gun on Eliza, opening fire as she yelled, “Don’t do it. Please don’t do it.”

At some point during the three-minute melee, Rocka the dog was also shot three times and killed.

Puata-Chaney returned home at 3.39pm, 40 minutes after the shooting, and identified himself to the 111 operator.

“I’m f***ed, I’ve done something,” he told the operator. “Send the police.”