Quinton Paul Winders has been found guilty of murdering road worker George Taiaroa.

The jury delivered its unanimous verdict at the High Court in Rotorua on Friday.

"Mr Winders, you are convicted of murder. You are now subject to the three strikes law," Justice Toogood said in convicting Winders, 45.

Stuff.co.nz Quinton Winders has been found guilty of murdering George Taiaroa.

"Murder carries with it a mandatory period of life imprisonment ... with a minimum [serve] period of ten years."

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MARK TAYLOR/FAIRFAX NZ. Quinton Paul Winders has been found guilty of murdering road worker George Taiaroa.

Winders will be remanded in custody until November 2 at the High Court in Rotorua.

Winders' family yelled "love you" as he was led out of the courtroom.

Justice Toogood has also requested a psychology report, and thanked the families for the way they sat through court.

George Taiaroa was shot at point blank range above the left eye.

"George was so much more than a victim of a crime, "[He was] a husband, a father, a grandfather, a workmate and friend," spokesperson for the Taiaroa family, Ani Mikaere, said outside court.

"Nothing can bring him back, but his legacy will endure. His whanau are committed to moving forward, to living lives that he would be proud of and to honouring his memory every day."

Mikaere said "it was a relief" when she heard the guilty verdict.

CHRISTEL YARDLEY/FAIRFAX NZ The Tram Rd bridge scene immediately after the murder.

"These court proceedings have lasted a very long five weeks and they've come at the end of an even longer three-and-a-half years.

"For George Taiaroa's whanau, the real trial is adjusting to life without their husband, father and grandfather, is far from over. It will never be over.

"However, at this point, there are a number of people and groups of people that the whanau would like to acknowledge.

MIKE SCOTT/FAIRFAX NZ A post with a high-vis vest, helmet and plastic flowers on a rock mark the scene where George Taiaroa was murdered.

"Firstly, whanau members are profoundly grateful to all of the witnesses who gave evidence during the trial. They willingly subjected themselves to the intimidating experience of standing before a courtroom packed with strangers, of being subjected to close questioning, of being exposed to public scrutiny."

Mikaere also gave a special mention to Detective Superintendent Tim Anderson, Detective Steven Dunn and iwi liaison officer Sergeant Brian Nicholas.

Anderson said he stands by his remarks that the Taiaroa murder was a targeted, calculated, killing.

RNZ Checkpoint After two and a half days of deliberation, a jury has found Quinton Winders guilty of the murder of stop-go worker George Taiaroa. RNZ reporter Carla Penman joins Checkpoint.

"It was definitely a challenging case, but made all the more easy due to the cooperation we had from Kiwis across the country.

"At the beginning of this enquiry, we had over 100 police officers from across the North Island - superb investigative work."

"The circumstances of this case are very rare. This case illustrates to me that when bad things happen to good people in New Zealand, two things happen as a result.

"Our police investigators are world class and from the evidence you've seen over the last five weeks, you've seen that.

"Secondly, when we make appeals for witnesses and members of New Zealand to help us resolve these matters, people do come forward. We've had over 130 people help us, in terms of resolving or solving this case."

SUMMARY

The Crown alleged a minor traffic accident, which Winders blamed Taiaroa for, was the catalyst for the killing.

"No-one heard the shot, but the coverage that followed resonated around New Zealand," said Crown prosecutor Amanda Gordon in the trial's opening, describing the killing as a "murder" that "shocked the nation".

She said a truck driver saw Taiaroa beckoned over to the window of a blue Jeep Cherokee.

"He [Taiaroa] was then seen to immediately fall to the ground, the blue Jeep Cherokee then sped off."

Gordon conceded it might seem "inexplicable" that a minor traffic accident could escalate into murder, but she told the jury the accident "concerned the Winders [family] more than you might think".

Gordon also claimed Winders' blue Jeep Cherokee was later found at his parents' property, and efforts had been made to alter its appearance.

"The defendant and the murderer drove a blue Jeep Cherokee," she said.

"Evidence, when put together, will establish Quinton Winders was the driver of that Jeep Cherokee."

Defence lawyer Jonathan Temm, however, claimed no motive existed for Winders to want to kill Taiaroa.

Pointing to Winders in the witness box on the opening day of the trial, Temm addressed the jury directly.

"Is this man here, this man, the man who shot the deceased?" he said.

"He doesn't know Mr Taiaroa, never met him, no dealings with him, no motive to kill him."

Temm also took issue with the differing descriptions given by witnesses of the vehicle seen at the scene, and the police investigation into his client.

"He [Quinton Winders] was the only focus … Police haven't followed the evidence. They've made him their target. The defence is going to show you there is other evidence they've simply ignored."

Temm also argued it was hard to believe Quinton Winders made a 500km round trip "in order to kill a man he's never met, never spoken to and had no reason to kill".

"The police are not always right and the correct place to start is Mr Winders is innocent," he said.

The trial ran for five weeks with the jury of seven women and five men hearing from more than 150 witnesses, visiting key locations in and around the crime scene and examining Winders' blue Jeep Cherokee.