Clearing name on list of jobs awaiting freed murderer

John Barlow at his Pukerua Bay home, after 15 years in jail for murder. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Double murderer John Barlow has been released after 15 years behind bars and is resuming life with wife Angela at home in Pukerua Bay, near Wellington.

The 64-year-old antique dealer walked free from Rimutaka Prison about 7.30am yesterday, having won parole on a life sentence for the execution-style slayings of Eugene Thomas and his son Gene in 1994.

Meanwhile, in nearby Lower Hutt, Eugene Thomas' sister Dianne Bryan was yesterday trying to get on with life.

She said she and her family felt no bitterness towards Barlow, and had no opinion on his release.

"It's happened, he's getting on with his life and so are we," Ms Bryan said.

"We don't want to revisit it [the homicide] ... We knew it [Barlow's release] was coming. It was a matter of course."

At an impromptu press conference outside his new home, Barlow told media representatives he planned to relax and unpack before setting to work on cleaning up the section.

He also took the opportunity to proclaim his innocence.

The past 15 years had felt like "going into retirement" and hadn't changed him at all, he said.

"It's not a holiday camp but prison is only meant to deprive a person of their freedom, it's not meant to be any other form of punishment; it is of course for some people."

He refused to discuss the Thomases.

Mrs Barlow - who has always stood by her husband's refusal to admit responsibility for the killings - said she had been looking forward to her husband's return home, as she had a few "handyman" chores for him.

"I painted the house inside myself, just me myself, inside and out [while he was in jail]," she told the Herald. "He's good at maintenance and that sort of thing."

A March 2009 Parole Board report said it was "not unfair" to refer to Mrs Barlow as "an uncritical supporter" of her husband.

It said she seemed "an admirable woman", and he had been "very fortunate to keep this very loyal support".

However, when asked if she would feel confident relaying any difficulties between them following his release from prison, Mrs Barlow simply couldn't see it happening.

"It was for her an irrelevant question," the Parole Board report said.

Barlow - who says he will continue to fight to clear his name - will remain on parole for life.