Nark

Darcy Te Hira died in 1985 after being bashed in Mt Eden Prison. Fellow inmate Ross Appelgren was convicted of the crime. But was the evidence dodgy? After all, it was supplied by narks.

Contains strong language and violent themes

Written and hosted by Mike Wesley-Smith

On air:

Sundays at 7pm on RNZ National

Black and white grainy image of Ross Appelgren (left hand side) and Darcy Te Hira (right handside) with their faces partially obscured by the end of the image. Prison bars appear behind then, with the word 'Nark' in all caps in white with a black strip behind the words.

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Podcast details.

Credits

Mike Wesley-Smith

Host and Writer
Liz Garton
Producer
William Saunders
Audio Engineer
Briana Juretich-Greig
Production Coordinator
Tim Watkin
Executive Editor, Audio and Script Editor
Amrita Marks
Graphics

With production support from William Ray, Justin Gregory and Phil Vine.

With audio engineering support from Rangi Powick, Jeremy Ansell, Jeremy Veal, Hamish Webber, Marc Chesterman, Steve Burridge, Alex Harmer and Ben Pierce.

RNZ photographers - Nick Monro and Mark Papalii

Legal advisers - Luke Bodle and Robert Stewart

Some archival audio supplied thanks to Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision and Mediaworks.

See images and more details about the series at www.rnz.co.nz/nark

If you have any information about this case, send an email to nark@rnz.co.nz

AI was used to recreate the voice of Ross Appelgren. The only words used were those he wrote or said during his lifetime.

Awards

Spotify

Best True Crime of 2025

Get in touch

Email us at: nark@rnz.co.nz

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