AUCKLAND — 1992 · Murder
The Murder of Susan Burdett
Susan Burdett, a 39-year-old accounts clerk, was killed at her home in the Auckland suburb of Papatoetoe on 23 March 1992. Based on statements he made, police charged a youth who was 17 at the time, and he was convicted in 1994. Over the years it emerged that the evidence did not link him to the crime; after more than 20 years in prison, the Privy Council in London quashed his conviction in 2015 and the state paid him compensation. DNA from the scene had meanwhile matched a serial rapist. He was convicted of rape in 1998, but juries in two trials could not agree on the murder charge. At a third trial in 2019 he was convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment.
- Date
- 1992
- Place
- Papatoetoe, New Zealand, Auckland, NZ
- Category
- Murder
- Case Status
- Solved
- Coordinates
- -36.9736, 174.8494 ↗
Timeline of Events
- 23 March 1992Susan Burdett was killed at her home in Papatoetoe.
- 1994A youth who was then 17 was convicted.
- 1998A man matching the DNA was convicted of rape; juries could not agree on murder.
- 2015The Privy Council quashed the wrongful conviction.
- 2019At a third trial the perpetrator was convicted of murder and jailed for life.
Sources
- RNZ — How justice for Susan Burdett took 27 years rnz.co.nz ↗
- RNZ — Jailed for life for 1992 murder of Susan Burdett rnz.co.nz ↗
- NZ Herald — Third trial over 1992 killing of Susan Burdett nzherald.co.nz ↗
- RNZ
- NZ Herald
- Wikipedia
Source grade B: at least one verifiable linked source. If you spot a mistake or something missing, report it with "Suggest a correction" in the app.
Related Cases
More cases from the 1990s
Categories
🕯️ This record was prepared with respect, in memory of those who lost their lives.