Mental health patient sentenced to life for Christchurch axe murder

Tuesday 10 June 2025 · 7 outlets · 8 reports · updated Tue 10 Jun 2025, 3:33pm

In this story High Court, Hillmorton Hospital

Elliot Cameron, 76, has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 10 years for the murder of 83-year-old Frances Phelps. The attack occurred at her Mt Pleasant home last October. Cameron, a Hillmorton Hospital patient, told the High Court he does not recall the event.

How they headlined it

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1. The PressTue 10 Jun 2025, 11:08am

   Mental health patient bludgeoned gardening client to death with an axe (opens in new tab)

   Also on Stuff (opens in new tab), The Post (opens in new tab), Waikato Times (opens in new tab)

   • The mental health patient who killed a pensioner and why his cousin thinks he did it (opens in new tab) Tue 10 Jun 2025, 1:36pm
   • Community should have been told Mt Pleasant axe murderer Elliot Cameron was mental health patient, victim’s relative says (opens in new tab) Tue 10 Jun 2025, 1:43pm
2. RNZTue 10 Jun 2025, 11:13am

   Hillmorton patient Elliot Cameron sentenced to life in jail over murder of Frances Phelps (opens in new tab)

   • Community should have been told Elliot Cameron was mental health patient, says cousin (opens in new tab) Tue 10 Jun 2025, 1:01pm
3. Otago Daily TimesTue 10 Jun 2025, 11:25am

   Mental health patient gets life in jail for axe murder (opens in new tab)

   • Answers sought after Hillmorton patient killed woman with axe (opens in new tab) Tue 10 Jun 2025, 3:33pm
4. 1News via RNZTue 10 Jun 2025, 11:28am

   Hillmorton patient jailed for life over woman's murder (opens in new tab)