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Offender Databases Michael October

Michael Wayne October

Alias

Mikaere Oketopa

Offences

Rape and murder of Anne-Maree Ellens in Christchurch in September 1994
Went on to commit an armed robbery afterwarwards
Other convictions for kidnapping, presenting a firearm at a police officer and aggravated robbery and burglary
Also involved in the October 1997 Paparua Prison siege
Assaulted and threatened to kill his girlfriend in July 2010

Victims

Anne-Maree Ellens

Offender Affiliations

Richard Genge was the lead offender
Samuel Kirner

Gang affiliations

none known

Age

Born 1969

Current Location

Prison

Parole/Release Dates

Given a ten year "life" sentence in October 1995
Paroled August 2005
Recalled September 2010
Sentenced to 21 months in April 2011
Parole refused February 2012
Has next hearing February 2013

Background
From Listener article here
September 1994: The body of factory worker Anne-Maree Ellens, 22, was found battered and semi-nude in the grounds of a Christchurch school. Three men had come across her while she was heavily intoxicated. They raped her and then beat her to death. The men went on to commit an armed robbery afterwards. The leader of the group was Richard Genge, 21.

Christchurch Press story here
From NZ Herald story 26th October 1995
One of three men convicted murdering and raping a 22 year old woman was sentenced to life in prison and ordered to serve a minimum of 15 years, Justice Fraser said in the High court at Christchurch yesterday. Richard Lyall Genge, aged 21, unemployed, who accepted responsibility for the death of Christchurch factory worker Anne-Maree Ellens was sentenced to a concurrent term of 12 years for rape.

The other two accused, Samuel George Kirner, 23, unemployed, and Michael Wayne October, 26 self-employed, were both sentenced to life imprisonment for murder, but neither had a minimum non-parole period imposed. Both were sentenced to 12 years imprisonment for rape, the term to be concurrent with the life sentence. For offences of kidnapping, presenting a firearm at a police officer and aggravated robbery and burglary, October was sentenced to seven years in prison, this term to be concurrent with the murder and rape sentences.

Miss Ellens' battered and semi-nude body was found in the grounds of Christchurch East primary school by a passerby on September 17 last year. The crown prosecutor, Chris Lange, urged the court to impose non-parole terms "close to the maximum sentence" in view of the ferocity assault, the fact she had been helpless because of intoxication, the callous manner in which her body had been left in the school grounds and the fact that no remorse had be expressed.

Representing October, Mr Mervyn Glue said: "The jury has made a terrible mistake in finding an innocent man guilty of murder and rape." He said the Crown had failed to disprove October's claim the he had never met the two co-accused. October had pleaded guilty to unrelated charges of kidnapping, presenting a fire arm at a constable and aggravated robbery and burglary. The offences had been carried out only hours after Miss Ellens had been murdered.

Representing Kirner, Mr Tony Garrett, said his client and October had been secondary partners to the murder. He said Kirner wished to publicly appoligise for his actions. Mr David Ruth said his client, Genge had accepted rosposibility for Miss Ellens' death. Imosing the sentences Justice Fraser commented on the brutal ferocity of the attack on Miss Ellens.

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Corrections and Additional Information
We endeavour to make this database as accurate as possible, but we are at the mercy of whatever information we can find in various online and offline archives. We rely on the public - that is, people like you - to fill in the gaps that we cannot. If you wish to submit additional information or a correction to this file CLICK HERE . Privacy: Trust policy is that all sources are treated as strictly confidential unless we are explicitly told otherwise. If you wish to see a file removed from this database certain conditions must be met by the offender set out HERE Note that this does NOT apply for those that are the primary offender in a murder, rape, or any sexual offending involving minors. We do not enter into correspondence regarding the guilt/innocence of offenders. Such correspondence is not responded to, especially if the offender concerned has a number of prior convictions

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