New Zealand woman relives terrifying moment she was caught in deadly love triangle

A woman has recalled the terrifying moment she was caught up in a dangerous love triangle that was sparked by a seemingly harmless Facebook message.

Missy Parata was living at Karitane, on New Zealand’s South Island, when she received a message from Krishan Ranui Dick-Karetai. 

She had spent her time beautifying the area cleaning up the local cemetery and starting a vegetable garden. 

Dick-Karetai messaged Ms Parata saying he was interested in becoming involved in environmental projects and that he wanted to move to the nearby town of Dunedin.

Over the course of seven months Dick-Karetai bombarded Ms Parata with texts, visited her at work without invitation and sent her videos threatening to self-harm. 

Missy Parata (pictured, with Hemi Tahuri) was living at Karitane, on New Zealand’s South Island, when she received a message from Krishan Ranui Dick-Karetai

He later went to confront Ms Parata at her home with a loaded .22 rifle before he shot her partner Hemi Tahuri (pictured) on October 15, 2021

He later went to confront Ms Parata at her home with a loaded .22 rifle before he shot her partner Hemi Tahuri on October 15, 2021.

Dick-Karetai was sentenced to six years and 11 months for attempted murder during sentencing at the High Court in Dunedin in June 2022.

Ms Pararta said she received the Facebook message from Dick-Karetai while she was on a break from her longtime partner Mr Tehuri. 

The court heard that Ms Parata had been briefly dating Dick-Karetai – but she later denied the pair were in a relationship to the Otago Daily Times.

She claimed she was manipulated and gaslighted by Dick-Karetai and only associated with him out of fear for her ‘safety’.

‘I didn’t want to go and tell people about him and what he’s doing to me if it’s all in my head,’ she told NZ Herald.

‘I didn’t want to ruin someone’s reputation, because he kind of made me feel like it was all my fault.’ 

Ms Pararta said she received the Facebook message from Dick-Karetai while she was on a break from her longtime partner Mr Tehuri

Ms Parata later rekindled her relationship with Mr Tehuri and claimed Dick-Karetai continued to make advances on her

She said she warned Dick-Karetai of moving to Dunedin as he had a dog with him and few landlords allowed tenants to have house pets.

Ms Parata said she was told two weeks later by Dick-Karetai that he had shot his dog in the head because it was sick.

She claimed that her ‘whole radar went off’ and that several ‘red flags’ were raised.

Ms Parata later rekindled her relationship with Mr Tehuri and claimed Dick-Karetai continued to make advances on her.

At one point he followed Ms Parata and her partner Mr Tahuri to a funeral at Ashburton – more than 240 kilometres north of Karitane.

‘I checked my phone and he was ringing,’ she said. ‘I answered and he said, ‘I’m in Ashburton right now. I’m looking at a car that looks like yours. 

Mr Tehuri was given a one per cent chance of survival but has managed to make a recovery after the bullet missed his major arteries by 1mm

‘I’ve just seen someone get in it. It’s you, isn’t it?’.’ 

Ms Parata claimed on the day of the shooting she had received 35 texts and 33 calls from Dick-Karetai demanding she end her relationship with Mr Tahuri.

Dick-Karetai then drove to her house, sounded his car horn to draw Ms Parata out of her home, and walked up to the front door with a loaded .22 rifle.

‘The defendant raised the firearm and fired a single shot through the glass door hitting the victim in the head,’ a court summary said.

Mr Tehuri was given a one per cent chance of survival but has managed to make a recovery after the bullet missed his major arteries by 1mm.