Crown abandons retrial for David Tamihere over Swedish backpacker murders
Tuesday 6 October 2026 · 4 outlets · 6 reports · updated In this story High Court, Supreme Court
The Crown has decided not to pursue a retrial for David Tamihere regarding the 1989 murders of Swedish backpackers Heidi Paakkonen and Sven Höglin. This decision follows the Supreme Court quashing his convictions earlier this year. Tamihere appeared in the Auckland High Court where prosecutors stated there was insufficient evidence to proceed.
Key facts
4 facts
- David Tamihere's convictions for the 1989 murders of Heidi Paakkonen and Urban Hoglin were quashed in March 2026
- The Crown declined to seek a retrial in October 2026 due to insufficient evidence
- Roberto Conchie Harris was convicted of perjury regarding evidence provided during the initial trial
- Urban Hoglin's body was discovered in 1991 in a location far from the original prosecution theory
The full story
1 min read · 4 outlets
The Crown has decided not to pursue a retrial for David Tamihere regarding the 1989 murders of Swedish backpackers Heidi Paakkonen and Urban Hoglin. Crown Prosecutor Claire Paterson informed the Auckland High Court that there is insufficient evidence to support a new prosecution. Paterson stated that any retrial would rely on disputed circumstantial evidence, certain witnesses were unavailable, and recent forensic testing was inconclusive.
Justice Simon Mount discharged Tamihere from the two murder charges, allowing him to leave the court as a free man. This decision follows a March ruling by the Supreme Court that quashed Tamihere's 1990 convictions. The Supreme Court had ordered a retrial but left the decision of whether to proceed to the Crown.
Tamihere, who is 73, expressed that he was "half surprised, half pissed off" by the decision because he had been willing to undergo a retrial. He described the outcome as "anticlimactic" and noted he would discuss seeking compensation with his lawyers. Tamihere has always maintained his innocence, though he admitted to stealing the victims' car and possessions.
The original convictions were found to be unfair due to the admission of perjured evidence from Roberto Conchie Harris, a fellow prisoner who was later convicted of perjury. Additionally, the Supreme Court noted that the discovery of Hoglin's body in 1991 forced the Crown to adopt a radically different theory of the crimes that had never been tested by a jury.
How it developed
- Wed 7 Oct, 10:31amThe report specifies that Tamihere is 73 years old and provides details regarding the last known sightings of the victims in Thames and the Coromandel Peninsula.
Where reports differ
- Reports vary on the specific names of the victims, with some using 'Sven Urban Hoglin' and others using 'Urban Hoglin' or 'Sven Höglin'
Compiled from reports by 1News, The Post, Stuff and NZ Herald.