Act claims law would have saved lives

Shiu Prasad. Photo / Supplied

Information from the Act party says these murders would not have happened under 'Three Strikes and the Max'.

SHIU PRASAD

The Mangere liquor store owner was stabbed to death in August 2000 for the paltry sum of $220. His killer, William Samson Holtz, was on parole for an earlier violent attack on an Indian shopkeeper when Mr Prasad was killed. A leading Black Power figure, Holtz was convicted of assault as a 15-year-old and accumulated more than 50 convictions by the time he killed Mr Prasad - including a number of aggravated robberies of shops.

DIANE MILLER

The Justice Department clerk was bashed to death with a brick by Rufus Marsh while she lay in bed sick. By the time of the brutal attack in 1986, Marsh had been in prison for robbery, manslaughter, attempted rape, theft, assault and aggravated robbery. Marsh was found dead in his prison cell this month aged 53. Since the age of 14, he had spent only 18 months out of prison.

JENNIFER HARGREAVES

The 17-year-old girl was hitchhiking when she was strangled to death by Shane Hoko in a South Auckland ditch in 2001. Despite losing an arm to cancer, the Black Power associate was still strong enough to choke her. Hoko was no stranger to the law and had amassed 35 convictions since 1986. The most serious of those was a home invasion and kidnapping in 1999, on which Hoko was on parole when he killed Ms Hargreaves.

STEVEN STONE

The 21-year-old was stabbed in the heart by Andre Londale Watene for $30 and some cannabis to smoke. Watene was on parole for another stabbing when he killed Stone, who was pointlessly murdered after his flatmate hander over the drugs and money. Stone was a promising lawn bowls player who did not smoke or drink. Watene had 32 previous convictions, including 11 for violence and robbery convictions.