Man who lived with girlfriend’s corpse for a month denied early release

Gordon Hieatt, imprisoned for the 2009 murder of his girlfriend Nuttidar Vaikaew, has been denied early release after being jailed for life with a minimum non-parole period of 11 years in 2011.

Hieatt lived with Vaikaew’s decaying corpse for nearly a month before the police discovered her body. Despite becoming eligible for parole in 2020, Hieatt has repeatedly faced the New Zealand Parole Board without gaining release. According to a report in legacy media, this time round he told the Board he wanted to have another hearing later this year to catch up on advancements in the computer programming industry, which he hopes to re-enter upon release.

During his recent parole hearing, Hieatt reflected on his obsession with his work as the root of his violent behaviour, stating that he viewed Vaikaew as an existential threat. Hieatt admitted to strangling Vaikaew during an argument, although he claimed it was not his intent to kill her. He described his actions as a panic-induced attempt to prevent further escalation. The Parole Board has requested a more recent psychological report and plans to review his case again next year, emphasizing the need for Hieatt to engage in supervised work outside the prison.