Edward Thomas Te Whiu (27 February 1935 – 18 August 1955) was a notable New Zealand criminal and murderer. Of Māori descent, he identified with the Ngā Puhi iwi. He was born in Waipapakauri, Northland, New Zealand, in 1935.[1] Te Whiu was hanged at Mount Eden Prison in August 1955, after he had killed Florence Smith, a 75-year-old widow, in Ngararatunua, near Kamo, when an attempted burglary went wrong.[1] At the time of the murders, Te Whiu had been on probation for cashing a forged check.[2]
Edward Te Whiu | |
|---|---|
| Born | 27 February 1935 |
| Died | 18 August 1955 (aged 20) |
| Cause of death | Execution by hanging |
| Criminal status | Executed |
| Conviction(s) | Murder |
| Criminal penalty | Death by hanging |
Evidence was given that he had calmly cooked himself a meal in the next room to the corpse of his aged victim. At his trial, Te Whiu's defense counsel argued that he'd panicked did not intend to kill Smith. Te Whiu himself claimed that he only meant to knock her unconscious.[3] The "completely non-adjusted a-social youth" went happily to his death. He took a cigarette an hour before the hanging, smiled and said, "won't it be wonderful to be in heaven where cigarettes can come flying through the air." One of his last requests was to have his religious comics thrown into his grave with him.[4]
References
edit- ^ a b Young, Sherwood. "Edward Thomas Te Whiu". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
- ^ "Story: Te Whiu, Edward Thomas". Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand.
- ^ "Today in History | NZHistory.net.nz, New Zealand history online". www.nzhistory.net.nz. Retrieved 5 November 2024.
- ^ Department of Justice (1974) [1968]. Crime in New Zealand: A Survey of New Zealand Criminal Behaviour. Wellington: A R Shearer Government Printer. pp. 68, 70.
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