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Offender Database Robert Harris

Robert Conchie Harris

Alias

.

Offences

Murdered Carol Pye and Martin Crossley in Titoki in February 1983.
A completely motiveless killing.
Committed a serious assault after being released from prison in 1992.
Found guilty of performing an indecent act on a minor in October 2008

Victims

Carol Pye
Martin Crossley

Offender Affiliations

Neville Hebert

Gang affiliations

Black Power

Age

Born 1948

Current Location

Prison

Parole/Release Dates

Sentenced to a 7 year life sentence in November 1983
Was released 1995, recalled May 2002
Parole approved September 2006, recalled May 2007
Sentenced to just 2 years 3 months (indecency charge) in November 2008
Parole declined February 2012
Has next hearing February 2013

Background
NZ Herald story here
From NZ Herald story November 1983
Last week Robert Conchie Harris, aged 35, unemployed, of Whangarei was found guilty on two murder charges in the High Court at Whangarei and was jailed for life. After the trail, Harris made a written statement to police clearing Neville William Herbert, aged 22, of the shootings of Carol Anne Pye and Martin Trevor Crossley at their farmhouse on February 22. In earlier statements, Harris had told police Herbert had fired the first two shots at Mr Crossley. He had also claimed that he and Herbert had talked about killing before they had gone to the Titoki farmhouse. Yesterday a statement written by Harris after his conviction was read to the court by crown prosecutor Mr Phillip Smith, saying that those earlier claims had been lies.

Harris first admitted shooting Mr Crossley in the back of the head and then calling his victim's de facto wife Ms Pye outside. He said he also shot her in the back of the head with a .22 rifle. After walking around the side of the house to his girlfriend Julie-Anne Anderson and Herbert he returned to the couple lying behind the house. "I could see Carol was dead and Martin was still breathing," Harris said. "I was about 10 to 15 metres away and I shot him again in the head to put him out of his misery." Mr Smith told the court after Herbert helped Harris to take cannabis plants from the Titoki property. On the drive back to Whangarei the murder weapon was thrown into a stream, Mr Smith said. Herbert and Harris prepared the cannabis for sale and Herbert shared the profits from a drug deal. Mr Justice Thorpe convicted Herbert on the two accessory charges and dismissed to jury from the trail.

Further information from book - "Shattered Dreams - Families of New Zealand Murder Victims Speak Out"

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Corrections and Additional Information
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