Killer Natalie Fenton to be freed after spending more than half her life in prison

Natalie Fenton. Photo / Janna Dixon

A murderer who has spent more than half her life behind bars will soon get a taste of freedom - albeit under tough monitoring.

Natalie Fenton was just 15 when she, sister Katrina, 19, and Daniella Bowman, 18, brutally killed South Auckland man Raymond Mullins in 1999.

After an argument Fenton stabbed him with a steak knife in an attack seen by Bowman's 2-year-old son.

In 2000, the trio were found guilty of murder. Twelve years later, Katrina Fenton was released on parole. Bowman was freed in 2014 but has since been recalled to prison.

Yesterday, it was revealed the Parole Board had agreed to release Natalie Fenton in April.

Since her last hearing, the board said, she had made "positive progress" on a release to work scheme and was a minimum-security prisoner with no behavioural problems, the board said.

"Ms Fenton and her case manager have presented a comprehensive and strong release and safety plan with a strong support network," the board said.

It withheld details of where she would live, but said Fenton had a guaranteed job and supported accommodation.

The board imposed special release conditions for five years, including a 10pm to 5am curfew, no communication with the other murderers and a ban from central and west Auckland and Rotorua.

She will have a follow-up hearing before the board in August to see how she is going.

Mr Mullins' daughter Leigh-Anne Mullins could not be contacted last night, but when Bowman was released, she said she was "pissed off" at the news.

"I've been through hell with it," she said at the time.

"April 1, 1999, my father got murdered. I still remember the day I got the phone call from my aunty telling me [and] I can remember like yesterday when the police handed me dad's warehouse and the mess in there.

"I had to clean it up - the blood-stained mattress and the blood on the stairs."