Full Breakdown
Supreme Court Quashes David Tamihere Murder Convictions After 36 Years
By Drooid · · How we work
Quashing of Convictions
On a Wednesday morning in early 2026, Justice Simon Mount KC delivered a nine-minute ruling that discharged David Tamihere of the two murder charges stemming from the 1990 indictment for the killings of Swedish backpackers Heidi Paakkonen and Sven Urban Höglin. The Crown, after reviewing the evidence, concluded that the evidential test for prosecution was no longer met, and therefore no retrial will proceed.
Background of the Case
Tamihere had been convicted in the early 1990s amid a controversial investigation that later revealed perjury by jailhouse informant Roberto Conchie Harris and the discovery of Höglin’s body 70 km from the police-stated crime scene. Additional items linked to the victims—such as a watch allegedly stolen by Tamihere—were found with Höglin’s remains. In April 1989 the victims were seen in Thames, Coromandel, and Tamihere was reported to have been in the Wentworth Valley nearby. “In [that] the victims were seen in Thames, Coromandel, on the 7th of April, 1989,” — Crown Prosecutor Clair Paterson
Legal Reasoning and Official Responses
Crown Prosecutor Clair Paterson explained that the passage of 36 years meant key evidence from the original trial was either unavailable or vulnerable to reliability challenges, rendering the evidential threshold for a new prosecution unmet. Defence lawyer Murray Gibson hailed the decision as the end of a “35-year accusation” and affirmed Tamihere’s innocence. Police Assistant Commissioner Corrie Parnell said the investigation file will be retained and reviewed should new evidence emerge.
Compensation Considerations
Tamihere indicated he intends to seek compensation at the level applicable when he was first convicted, describing the amount as “quite huge.” The Ministry of Justice outlines a potential award of $150,000 per year of custody, plus $75,000 per year for restrictive bail or parole.
Verbatim Quotes
- “In [that] the victims were seen in Thames, Coromandel, on the 7th of April, 1989,” — Crown Prosecutor Clair Paterson
- “I'd like to do it at the level that was around when I first got convicted," Tamihere said.” — David Tamihere — David Tamihere, on the level of compensation he hopes to receive.