Parker-Hulme Murders

On June 22, 1954, the body of Honora Parker was found in Victoria Park[?] in Christchurch. She had been killed by a blow to the head from a rock. On June 23, two teenage girls were arrested, Melanie Parker[?], also known as Melanie Rieper[?], and Juliet Hulme[?]. Melanie was a girl from a working class background; Juliet Hulme was the daughter of a distinguished physicist who was the rector of Canterbury College in Christchurch.

The two girls had formed a close personal friendship that their parents found disturbing. The two girls formed an elaborate fantasy life together and would sneak out and spend the night acting out stories involving fictional characters they had developed together. When their parents attempted to compel them to remain separate, they formed a plan to murder Melanie Parker's mother and escape to the United States.

The two girls were tried together. The trial was a sensational affair, with allegations of lesbianism and insanity. The girls were convicted on August 30, 1954, and each of them spent five years in prison. They were released with the condition that they never contact one another again.

After her release from prison, Juliet Hulme went on to have a successful career as a historical detective novelist under the name Anne Perry[?]. The story of the murders was made into Peter Jackson's Oscar-nominated film, Heavenly Creatures.

External links:

Information on the Parker-Hulme case from the public library of Christchurch, New Zealand: http://library.christchurch.org.nz/Heritage/ParkerHulme/

Extensive FAQ on the Heavenly Creatures film containing much data on the historical background of the motion picture: http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Studio/2194/