True Crime New Zealand (NZ)

AUCKLAND CITY. AUCKLAND. French Defence Minister Charles Hernu caught wind of Greenpeace’s plan to protest upcoming French tests in late 1984 . After reportedly ‘exploding with fury’ , Hernu ordered the French security service, the General Directorate for External Security or in French, Direction Générale de la Sécurité Extérieure (DGSE) to investigate the rumours. To ensure the security of France...

AUCKLAND CITY, AUCKLAND. In April 1985, Fernando Pereira said goodbye to his children in the Netherlands , his departing words were, “Just take care of your mom, I’ll do my trip and I’ll be home soon”. With goodbyes said to his loved ones, Fernando travelled to Hawaii and reported for duty.  Fernando boarded the ship that would be his home for the next six months as he travelled around the gl...

In 1856, on the lower slopes of Mt Eden - a wooden stockade was built to house the overflowing at the Queen Street Goal . Sixteen of the most troublesome prisoners were transferred to the stockade in September 1856 . Three of these men were serving a life sentence, one for stabbing a ship captain in the Bay of Islands , one for rape in the Auckland suburb of Newmarket , and one for killing a Maori...

PUKEKAWA. WAIKATO. On the 2nd of March 1971, Arthur Allan Thomas , having been found guilty of double murder, was driven from the Auckland District Court , 30km north, over the Auckland Harbour Bridge . Exiting at Albany, the police van eventually got onto Paremoremo Road . The ‘paddy wagon’ drove another 5km before taking a left, soon after the van pulled over. When Arthur exited the vehicle he w...

PUKEKAWA. WAIKATO. 22nd of June 1970. 2.20pm. Tuakau police constable Gerald Wyllie answered a call from Owen Priest. Owen explained that Harvey and Jeannette Crewe , farmers in Pukekawa were missing. There were bloodstains in the kitchen and lounge.  Furthermore, Rochelle; the Crewe’s 18 month old daughter was found to be without her parents in the house for five days. Although, most peculiar, it...

PUKEKAWA. WAIKATO. Pukekawa is a small district in the Waikato, approx. 66km from central Auckland . In the early years of NZ, Pukekawa was used as a battleground for the early NZ wars. By the early 1900s, Pukekawa was known as a ‘rural Pakeha settlement’ . The area was known to have fertile soil; over time it became a popular farming spot.  By 1970, Pukekawa was a small, albeit affluent farm...

PALMERSTON NORTH, MANAWATU. On the 25 August 1996, a letter came across the desk of Detective Constable Brent Garner. Brent opened the letter and began reading, “COP, you drew the straw. Chapter 1 starts. You will die, I guarantee. The Executioner.” Visit  www.truecrimenz.com  for additional information on this case. Including a transcript of this episode, with supporting pictures, sources, and cr...

When we stummbled upon the alarming high number of victims of sexual abuse by the time of adulthood - True Crime NZ decided to look into this subject matter a little closer.  Opening a dialogue into taboo topics is never easy, but we must examine our own reluctance and courageously wade into this unconscious quagmire if we’re going to help.  This episode will be slightly different from our usual c...

Here we are, 13 episodes in. Since launch of True Crime NZ June 17th 2019 , it has been a rollercoaster of an emotion so far, lots of highs and excitement; as well as having some really tough days - as is life.  As the podcast has grown and evolved since the last time we did this. For anyone unaware, TCNZ is comprised of two people; my husband, Sirius ; and me, Jessica . The podcast is independent...

WELLINGTON CITY, WELLINGTON. 24th of September 1905, 7.45pm. The now 68 year old Joe Kum Young, still recovering from his mining injury, was limping down Haining Street. Footsteps quickly approached him from behind. Young may have sensed a wisp of dread when he heard a revolver being cocked from the same direction. A loud gunshot quickly followed, followed by a quicker bullet. Joe Kum Young was sh...

WAINUIOMATA, WELLINGTON. On the afternoon of January the 6th 2007. Karl Kuchenbecker was riding his quad bike in the hills that connect Lower Hutt to Wainuiomata. Karl was riding through a firebreak on his way home. When he was confronted by a drug frenzied, overly aggressive man wielding a shotgun. The man fired. Karl was hit and he fell to the ground. The man fired the shotgun two more times hit...

LOWER HUTT, WELLINGTON. In 1992, Paul Anderson was a lighting technician at Wellington nightclub, The Carpark . After hearing some commotion with a man and the club’s security. Anderson found himself confronted by a large, enraged and intoxicated man. The man was also weilding a knife. The man asked Anderson if he worked at the club. Anderson supposedly confirmed this and the knife was put to use,...

WANGANUI, MANAWATU. On the 18th of February 1957, the eighty fifth, and last person was executed in NZ. A man, a farmer from the district of Wanganui in the Manawatu . One newspaper described the events that unfolded. On the scaffold, a rope was placed around his neck. When the trap door snapped open beneath him. He dropped, surviving the fall. Sickening the small audience of reporters, clergy and...

WINTON, SOUTHLAND. On August the 12th 1895 ‘Southland baby farmer’ Williamina Dean became the first and only woman to be sentenced to death in New Zealand . The name of Minnie Dean lives on, and around that name has grown a legend. Southland children who misbehave are threatened, not with boogeymen, but with being sent to Minnie Dean . Visit  www.truecrimenz.com  for additional informati...

RUSSELL, BAY OF ISLANDS. In the Bay of Islands, about four kilometres northeast of Russell , you will find Motuarohia Island . A small island of only two kilometres in length. Today, the island exists mostly as a tourist attraction, selling itself with promises of crystal clear waters, sandy beaches and stunning walking tracks.  Although in 1841, when Aoeteroa was still in its infancy, the is...

MANGERE, AUCKLAND. On the 21st of March 1991, Martin Smith, an ambulance officer was responding to a call about a dead child at an address in Mangere . When he entered the property he found an emaciated two year old girl in the fetal position. She was lying on a filthy, blood covered mattress. The child had extreme scarring on her body appearing to be burns. Similar burns were on her hands and fee...

PAERATA, AUCKLAND.   May 19 1992, 7.40am. Police Constable Jeff Stuck answers a 111 emergency call from a hysterical woman. Stuck was unable to extract much information from the woman. She was screaming into the receiver, when suddenly the conversation ended. The phone fell to the ground. Constable Stuck, still listening heard in the background, raised voices of a woman and a man; yelling. Ac...

CHRISTCHURCH, CANTERBURY. June 22, 1954 "The Day of The Happy Event. I am writing a little of this up in the morning before the death. I felt very excited and 'The night before Christmas-ish' last night. I did not have pleasant dreams though. I am about to rise" Visit www.truecrimenz.com for additional information on this case. Including a transcript of this episode, with supporting pictures, sour...

CHRISTCHURCH, CANTERBURY. 22 June 1954. The body of forty-five year old Honora Parker was discovered in Victoria Park , in Christchurch , New Zealand . That morning Honora had gone for a walk through Victoria Park with her daughter Pauline Parker , and Pauline's best friend, Juliet Hulme . Approximately 130m down the path, in a wooded area of the park near a small wooden bridge, Juliet and Pauline...