Convicted double murderer David Tamihere could be released from prison later this year after the Parole Board requested a report on his suitability for “residential restrictions”, which would see him released under similar conditions to offenders on home detention.
Tamihere was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1990 for the murders of Swedish tourists Urban Hoglin and Heidi Paakkonen in the Coromandel in 1990.
He had skipped bail for a 1986 rape and was on the run when the murders were committed, and had a manslaughter conviction for the 1972 death of an Auckland prostitute.
He has maintained his innocence throughout his 21-year imprisonment and made a number of appeals against the conviction.
In a decision released today, the Parole Board said it had had “vigorous and robust discussions” with Tamihere over his involvement in the tourists’ deaths, but he had always been “adamant” in his denial.

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