On December 9, 2016, the quiet neighborhood of Upper Hutt, New Zealand, is shattered by the brutal murder of 30-year-old Lois Tolley. Four men invade her home, armed with a machete and a shotgun, seeking drugs and cash. The attack is swift and merciless, leaving Tolley dead in what police describe as an “execution-style” killing.
The investigation that follows is exhaustive, involving hundreds of interviews with known criminals and gang members. Police focus on twelve suspects, eventually charging three individuals between 2019 and 2020. However, the case against them collapses due to unreliable confessions obtained through a controversial interviewing technique, leading to the charges being dropped.
The aftermath leaves the case unsolved, with justice eluding Lois Tolley’s family. Investigations into the flawed police methods continue, but the murder remains a haunting mystery. The police acknowledge that no one is working full-time on the case, leaving the future pursuit of justice uncertain.
