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Offender Databases Terry Nahi

Terry Jason Nahi

Alias

.

Offences

Murder of his girlfriend in Hornby, Christchurch in September 1998
Also home invasion, assaulting a man and assaulting another female

Victims

.

Offender Affiliations

.

Gang affiliations

none known

Age

Born 1974

Current Location

Prison

Parole/Release Dates

Was given a life sentence in May 1999
First parole hearing September 2009
Due for another hearing August 2011

Background
This Listener article has a brief summary of this case
September 1998: Lisa Hurrell was clutching her baby when Terry Jason Nahi, 24, beat her to death. Hurrell had a protection order out against Nahi, with whom she had had a tempestuous relationship since she was 14. He was the father of her three children.

In spite of the protection order, Nahi smashed his way into Hurrell’s home where she and her three children and a female friend were hiding in the toilet, waiting for the police to arrive. He forced his way into the toilet and dragged Hurrell out by her hair. He repeatedly beat her with a metal pipe before stabbing her nine times.

Nahi pleaded guilty to the murder. His defence counsel said he lost control after consuming a cocktail of drugs and alcohol, leading him to kill the woman he loved.

From Christchurch Press story 25th May 1999
Families wept as a man was sent to jail for life for killing his girlfriend, the mother of his three children. In the High Court in Christchurch yesterday, Terry Jason Nahi, 24, admitted murdering Lisa Hurrell, 21, on September 1 last year. He also admitted charges of aggravated burglary, assaulting a man, and assaulting another female.

Defence counsel Nigel Hampton, QC, said Nahi pleaded guilty out of concern for Miss Hurrell's family, his own family, and his three children. After Justice Young passed down the life sentence, Nahi's brother said: "I hope everybody learnt something here today." Friends and family in the full public gallery comforted Miss Hurrell's mother and Nahi's mother as the summary of facts was read.

Crown prosecutor Phil Shamy said Nahi first met Miss Hurrell when she was aged 14, and they began a relationship that was often turbulent and violent. Miss Hurrell took out a protection order against Nahi in January 1997. On the day of her death she had taken her daughter to McDonald's in Hornby for her second birthday. Nahi arrived after drinking and sniffing fumes. He left soon after, but at 8pm arrived at Miss Hurrell's address in Arcon Drive, Hornby, in an angry mood.

Miss Hurrell phoned a friend, Roger Lucas, who arrived and had an argument with Nahi. He was assaulted and needed hospital treatment after being hit in the face. Nahi left before the police arrived and visited licensed premises in Hornby, where he continued to drink. Later, he took a ride with friends to Arcon Drive and got dropped off. He went to the house of a friend of Miss Hurrell's and asked to be let in. He was refused entry and went to Miss Hurrell's house while her friend phoned her to warn her.

Nahi began breaking into the house using a metal pipe from a see- saw. He climbed through the hole in the door and went to the toilet of the house, where Miss Hurrell, her three children, and a female friend were hiding. Nahi managed to partly open the door and began hitting Miss Hurrell with the pipe. He also hit her female friend. He grabbed Miss Hurrell by the hair and dragged her out of the toilet. She had been holding her baby, Tamara, who suffered facial injuries when her mother fell on top of her.

Nahi continued to beat Miss Hurrell and grabbed a knife from the kitchen. He dragged her out of the house, but she managed to make it back inside. An ambulance arrived and she was rushed to hospital but was pronounced dead shortly after arrival. Mr Shamy said Miss Hurrell suffered 71 injuries, including nine stab wounds. Nahi was found near the address with his hands covered in blood. Mr Hampton said Nahi had lost control after a cocktail of drugs and alcohol, and had killed the woman he loved. He said the guilty plea might be the first step Nahi had taken to amend his life.

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Corrections and Additional Information
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