To catch a killer

How police used DNA evidence to solve some of our high-profile cases.

1990

DNA evidence is produced for the first time in a New Zealand court, when 18-year-old Michael Pengelly is convicted of the home-invasion murder of 77-year-old Beatrice Birch in West Auckland. The quality of the scientific analysis of what was allegedly Pengelly’s blood at the scene is questioned by his lawyer, Murray Gibson, supported by the “father” of the technology, UK professor Dr (later Sir) Alec Jeffreys. Six years later, Gibson and scientist Arie Geursen use re-analysed DNA evidence to free wrongly convicted childrape accused David Dougherty.

1999

Scott Watson is convicted of murdering Ben Smart and Olivia Hope in the Marlborough Sounds on January 1, 1998. The only physical link between the couple and Watson is ESR evidence that two blonde hairs recovered from a blanket on his washed boat were highly likely to have been Olivia’s. The evidence is still being contested.

2002

Jules Mikus is found guilty of murdering Napier schoolgirl Teresa Cormack, who was abducted and killed in 1987, after DNA swabs from her body were retested using new technology.

2004

Jarrod Mangels admits the 1987 murder of Maureen McKinnel in Arrowtown after DNA found under her fingernails was retested. Mangels was just 15 at the time of the killing.

2006

DNA from a single strand of hair found at the scene of the murder of 66-year-old Tokoroa teacher Lois Dear is traced to 23-year-old Whetu Te Hiko, who pleads guilty in February 2007.

2010

Joseph Reekers is convicted of the 2001 murder of Aucklander Marie Jamieson. Police traced him through a familial search of the DNA databank, which discovered the profile of semen from her clothing was a partial match with that of his sister. Reekers was ordered to give a sample when he was arrested for shoplifting in 2008.