Dominico Zapata/Stuff Rydell Tuaupiki Martin is facing a murder charge and an assault charge related to a fatal fight in Joseph St, Pukemiro, in north Waikato in March 2019. The man accused of an axe murder in a north Waikato village says he only intended to knock a man over when he fatally struck him in a street-fight. Rydell Tuaupiki Martin, 27, is on trial for the murder of Phillip Macpherson. He has admitted to delivering the fatal axe blow in Pukemiro on March 1, 2019, but says he is only guilty of manslaughter. The defence has opened their case in the Hamilton High Court on Friday, with Martin giving evidence before the 10 jurors.