David Tamihere fails to overturn convictions for 1989 Swedish backpacker murders

David Wayne Tamihere has lost his bid to overturn his convictions for the 1989 murders of Swedish backpackers Sven Urban Höglin and Heidi Birgitta Paakkonen.

The Court of Appeal judges acknowledged that false evidence from a jailhouse informant had led to a miscarriage of justice. However, they maintained that there was still sufficient evidence to be certain beyond a reasonable doubt that Tamihere was guilty of the murders, based on other evidence presented during the original trial.

The tragic case dates back to April 1989, when Höglin and Paakkonen disappeared while tramping in the Coromandel Peninsula.

Tamihere, who had been on the run for a prior rape conviction, was linked to the case after stealing the couple’s car.

Despite serving over 20 years in prison and always denying any involvement, Tamihere’s appeals have consistently been unsuccessful.

In 2020, Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy referred the case back to the Court of Appeal, but this did not lead to an overturn of his convictions.

In their recent judgment, the Court of Appeal judges highlighted multiple pieces of evidence that pointed to Tamihere’s guilt, including eyewitness testimonies, stolen items found in his possession, and his own inconsistent statements.

Despite acknowledging the impact of the false informant testimony, the judges concluded that the remaining evidence sufficiently proved Tamihere’s involvement in the murders. #

This evidence included sightings of Tamihere with a woman matching Paakkonen’s description, his use of the couple’s car key, and the discovery of Paakkonen’s belongings along with Höglin’s remains.