The 'Heavenly Creatures' murder: The story of teen killers Juliet Hulme and Pauline Parker

In 1954 Christchurch woman Honorah Parker was murdered while on a walk in the Port Hills. 

The culprits? Her daughter Pauline, 15 and best friend Juliet Hulme, 16. 

With “animal ferocity” they hit her over and over again with a brick inside a stocking. Police would later say the 46-year-old had been “battered to pieces”.

After a controversial trial, the teens were found guilty of murder - a jury rejecting their claims of insanity.

In this episode of A Moment In Crime host Anna Leask looks back at the crime, the trial, the aftermath and speaks exclusively to Juliet Hulme's brother about why he wants the convictions amended to reflect his sister's lifetime of insanity. 

This episode is accompanied by a full feature about the case - click here to read the story.

This episode references Canterbury crime author Peter Graham's book about the case, So Brilliantly Clever, the documentary Anne Perry Interiors which is available to rent or buy in New Zealand on AppleTV and author Ian Rankin's documentary Evil Thoughts, which aired in 2002 and can be found in part on YouTube. 

A Moment In Crime is written and hosted by Anna Leask, senior crime and justice journalist for the New Zealand Herald. 

It is produced by Leask, NZME audio engineer James Irwin and podcast production manager Ethan Stills.

South Island head of news Kurt Bayer oversaw this project, the voice of Pauline Parker's diary was provided by NewstalkZB reporter Emily Ansell and some of the audio recording was undertaken by NZME video journalist George Heard.

Special thanks to Jonathan Hulme, Nigel Hampton KC and Professor Warren Brookbanks for their insight and in put into this episode. 

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