Gresham Marsh is led away from the Hamilton District Court in June 1994 after his first appearance relating to the double murder of the Harrissons.
Gresham Marsh is led away from the Hamilton District Court in June 1994 after his first appearance relating to the double murder of the Harrissons.
The family of an elderly couple killed execution-style in a home invasion are distraught the double murderer will be released from prison tomorrow.
Gresham Kirsten Leith Marsh is serving a life sentence for the double murder of John and Josephine (Josie) Harrisson.
Marsh, then 22, and Leith Ray, 19, shot the couple dead in the middle of the night at their rural home in Te Akau near Ngāruawāhia, on June 1, 1994.
But now the couple's daughter Margaret Jamieson and her husband Jock want to see a current photo of the killer, as he is set to be released after 26 years in prison.
The only time the Jamiesons have seen Marsh in person was when he pleaded guilty at the Hamilton District Court all those years ago.
"He looked violent and aggressive, a psychopath," Margaret said. "Marsh was unrepentant and told the police my parents 'had a long enough life'."
Jock said they had asked Corrections for a current photograph of Marsh, who will be living in the South Island.
"New Zealand is a small place and if we are in the South Island on holiday we might bump into him. They will cite privacy but he lost that right when he killed John and Josie.
"We fear for our safety and we have the right to know what he looks like now. He will have changed a lot in 26 years and could be standing next to us in a shop and we wouldn't know."
A supplied photo of John and Josephine Harrisson who were murdered by Gresham Marsh in 1994 in Te Akau.
The Jamiesons requested and received a photo of Ray from the Parole Board when he was released five years ago.
"People change so much we couldn't believe the difference when we saw him at court and when he was released. That'll be the same with Marsh. It's so easy to change your hair colour, or grow a beard," Margaret said.
Rachel Leota, National Commissioner of Corrections, acknowledged the ongoing trauma and grief suffered by the family and recognised this was a stressful time for them following the recent decision by the Parole Board to release Marsh from prison.
She said Corrections was committed to keeping victims informed but also needed to comply with the Official Information Act and the Privacy Act. "We are required to protect all personal information that we hold, including where it relates to offenders, and we must consider any request to release information in accordance with the legislation."
The commissioner acknowledged that in the past, requests from victims for photographs of offenders were not centrally managed, and consideration may not have been given to the privacy law. "We have recently reviewed this process and we are now ensuring that all requests from victims for personal information relating to offenders are centrally managed and considered on a case by case basis.
Gresham Marsh is led away from the Hamilton District Court in June 1994 after his first appearance relating to the double murder of the Harrissons.
"We are treating the request for a photo of Gresham Marsh under the Official Information Act. We have offered the family the opportunity to meet with senior staff to view a recent photograph of Mr Marsh and answer any questions about his management in the community."
But Jock was disappointed by the decision and said he would lodge a complaint with the Privacy Commission.
"I said it was unacceptable. They came up with this harebrained idea we could have a supervised viewing of Marsh but they had to then ask for his permission first. I thought 'Good luck with that'.
"I couldn't have an imprint of this person from one look at the photo, I mean in five years' time, you wouldn't have a clue. It's not good enough. I think Corrections is worried that if they give us a photo they will have to do the same for everyone."
In 1994, Ray and Marsh spent two weeks scoping out properties in the Waikato area committing burglaries. When they came across the Harrissons' property, which was tucked away on the side of a hill, they bought produce from the stall and then sussed out the area.
Later that night they broke into the Harrissons' house with a loaded .22 rifle, woke them up and shot them dead.
John, 83, was shot four times and Josie, 74, was in bed when she was shot in the head twice.
The intruders then rifled through the home, stealing money and jewellery and tried to siphon petrol from a car in the garage.
Leith Ray (pictured) and Gresham Marsh were both charged for the double murders of John and Josie Harrisson in 1994. Photo / Supplied
Margaret is the second of the Harrissons' five children and has never recovered from her parents' senseless deaths.
"It was horrific, they were completely defenceless. They had just celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary, I couldn't believe they could be dead on the same day." The couple were gentle and community-minded, she said. They had loved caring for their livestock, growing flowers and vegetables, and John was a judge at the school's pet day and involved in local farmers' get-togethers.
The Jamiesons were invited to meet the Marsh family a few months after the murders.
They were reluctant and nervous at first but since the meeting, have stayed in contact.
"It was a terrible and difficult thing to do - we were shaking in our shoes, we didn't know what we were in for. But it turned out they were a genuine, honest-to-goodness decent family and this guy they adopted had given them grief for years," Jock said.
"They wanted to apologise, they didn't want to make excuses for him. Marsh had been a problem since the day they adopted him. They expected one of them to be killed."
Gresham Marsh was the youngest in a family of 10 and was adopted by Fran and George Marsh in May 1972, when he was 17 days old.
At the age of 10, he tried to set fire to a hay barn and garage, and when he was 12, he was made a ward of the state.
By 1994, he had made 50 court appearances. Marsh faced a raft of charges including theft, assault, and had been involved in a burglary ring.
"I don't think he should be released. Even [Marsh's] sister believes he will be back inside before Christmas. She says he won't be able to cope outside and he has a short fuse. Anyone that gets in his way, he lashes out."
Marsh, now 46, appeared before the Parole Board on August 7 and was approved for release.
He will live in the South Island and be electronically monitored. He has a security classification of minimum but he is still considered a high risk of reoffending.
The most recent psychological report indicated Marsh had completed two guided release visits in March and July.
Marsh will be regularly monitored by authorities to ensure he is not a risk to the community. He is not to own or possess any firearms or use and consume alcohol or drugs.
Jock and Margaret Jamieson are struggling to get an up to date photo of Gresham Marsh, the man who killed Margaret's parents in 1994. Photo / Greg Bowker
He is also forbidden to associate with Ray or contact any of the victims' family members.
In total there are 29 conditions he must comply with. He will also be subject to the Regional High-Risk Panel, which involves the police.
If he breaches any of these conditions he may be prosecuted or recalled to prison to continue serving his sentence.
Jess McVicar, the national spokeswoman for Sensible Sentencing Trust, said Marsh was a huge concern when it came to the safety of the community.
"We are appalled there is not a photo of him - it is for both the victims and the family's safety to know what Marsh looks like. The fear of knowing he is coming out and the fear of not knowing what he looks like is with them every day," McVicar said.
Margaret believes it's too late for Marsh to be rehabilitated given half his life has been spent in prison.
She said she will never forgive him for wrecking their lives.
"He might be okay if he keeps his nose clean and his temper under control but he has to prove himself first. He has been in prison long enough to know whether he wants to go back in there or whether he can keep on the straight and narrow and out of trouble."
