Murderers walking free - Fmr Detective
Speaking on The Nation this weekend Mr Hawkins, who worked the original Tahu investigation 33 years ago, told Rachel Smalley the Police have always known Menzie Hallett was the murderer, but were unable to successfully prosecute.
The former top cop says there are other murderers walking free, even though the Police and community know who they are.
"I know of two or three other case in the [Taupo] area, and I’m sure there are dozens over the country, people know who the offenders are. People have had admissions made to them. We saw in this case that there were two people who came forward later on who Hallett had admitted to.
"Now there must be other cases. I can think of Mona Blades and Milton Channings in this area, and others, and I’m sure there are dozens over the country. I just hope there are some people that watch this program that react to that and come forward."
The former top cop says in the case of Hallett it was incredibly frustrating seeing him walk free, when the community knew he had done it.
"He chose to adopt quite an arrogant attitude of staying in town. He was quite a confident person - who would look you in the eye and smile and walk past. It was not easy," Mr Hawkins says.
"I think [Rodney Tahu’s family] knew that it wasn’t over. That someday the day of reckoning would come. Which of course has just occurred. It may have taken 33 years but the result was there."
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