Key crown witness on serious charges

By Tony Wall

Police are reopening their investigation into one of New Zealand's most intriguing whodunit crimes - the Tania Furlan murder.

A senior detective who specialises in reviewing murder inquiries has been appointed to head the reinvestigation of the 1996 case after a key police witness was himself charged with a serious offence.

Mrs Furlan was bashed to death in the foyer of her Howick home on July 26, 1996. Her baby daughter, Tiffany, was abducted and dumped at a church 18km away.

The New Zealand Herald has known of concerns about the inquiry since the arrest of the witness several months ago, but for legal reasons has been unable to give details.

It can now be revealed that a man who was to have given evidence that Christopher John Lewis confessed to the Furlan murder is now in prison awaiting trial for a serious crime unrelated to the killing.

Lewis maintained right up until his suicide in Mt Eden Prison in 1997 that the crown witness was the real killer.

Lewis' mother told the Herald last night that she still believed her son was involved in the murder but that he might not have acted alone.

A surprised Victor Furlan, the husband of the victim, said from Australia last night that he had no idea the witness had been arrested or that police were re-opening the case.

Mr Furlan, who has returned to live in his native Australia with his three daughters, said he had believed that Lewis killed his wife, based on what police had told him.

"If it [the inquiry] is just a couple of little things they're looking at I don't need to be notified, but if it's bigger than that I'll definitely ask why I wasn't."

Police made the announcement yesterday afternoon that Detective Superintendent Nick Perry from Wellington, assisted by other staff from outside Auckland, would lead the inquiry into "some aspects" of the Furlan case.

Mr Perry is part of a three-man team of police troubleshooters that was set up earlier this year to steer and review serious crime investigations.

In the past the team has been called in to help with the Kirsty Bentley murder inquiry in Ashburton, the Joanne McCarthy case in Whangaparaoa, and the Claire Hills killing in Mangere.

A barrister will oversee the police reinvestigation.

The lawyer who acted for Lewis, David Jones, said he would give police his full assistance. He said he had filed a notice of alibi and if the trial had gone ahead it would have been "fascinating."