A man jointly charged with murdering a 19-year-old in the Bay of Plenty who left a 500-metre blood trail before dying has pleaded not guilty.
Takena Tiepa-Ranapia's body was discovered outside a house on Mansfield Street in Ohauiti on the morning of 19 November this year.
Two men aged 36 and 37, whose names are suppressed, have been jointly charged with his murder.
The pair have also been charged with assault and wounding after two men were injured hours before Mr Tiepa-Ranapia was found.
In court this morning, the 36-year-old told Mr Tiepa-Ranapia's family to leave his family members out of it. His comments were met with insults and swearing from the public gallery.
The two men will appear in court again in January.
