Thai Sex Worker Murdered And Left To Rot In New Zealand Apartment

[Buchholz]

Killer's jaw drops as guilty verdict is read

It was her disappearance and the pungent smell that alarmed a prostitute's landlord. Nuttidar Vaikaew had been dead for nearly a month. Her body lay beneath sheets and blankets on her bed inside her Western Springs flat. A fan had been set up close-by and incense had been burned, but nothing could stop the smell from her decaying corpse. Yesterday a jury convicted her boyfriend, Gordon Hieatt, of her murder. Hieatt's jaw slightly dropped as the verdict was read out. Justice John Priestly thanked the jurors for their attention to the "grim" details and offered them counselling at the court's expense. The jurors had heard nine days of evidence that included Hieatt's appetite for prostitutes and details of the violence he had used to kill Ms Vaikaew.

They were told Ms Vaikaew's landlord called police when he became concerned that he had not seen his tenant for about a month and noticed there was a bad smell in the air. Two constables visited the Western Springs flat later that day. The officers knocked on the door several times before Hieatt opened it and confessed to killing Ms Vaikaew. Constable Kym Lam Sam told the court of the gruesome discovery that he made in the couple's bedroom. Inside he saw a mound on the bed, covered in blankets. Larvae could be seen on top of the blankets and there were dead flies on the floor. There was a terrible smell in the air. Nearly a month before the discovery of her body, Hieatt and Ms Vaikaew had fought. It started with Hieatt being asked to leave their small flat because Ms Vaikaew had to see a client. That night he returned and the couple had dinner together but there was little conversation.

Hieatt went to the backroom of the unit to "brood". At about 10pm, after smoking some marijuana to relax, he was called to bed by Ms Vaikaew and the pair began arguing about rent payments. Hieatt told the jury himself that he "lost it" and punched Ms Vaikaew. "I couldn't take it anymore - being shouted at, ordered around, talked down to, treated like crap - I just wanted her to shut up."

Continues:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10688893

New Zealand Herald - November 20, 2010

[Donnyboy]

11 years, should be longer imo

Murderer has 'serious personality flaws' - judge

A judge has described a man who strangled his Thai sex worker girlfriend as being "odd" with "serious personality flaws".

Gordon Hieatt, 48, was today sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum non-parole period of 11 years for the murder of Nuttidar Vaikaew, 48, some time after April 16, 2009.

Hieatt, 49, found guilty by a jury the High Court at Auckland in November, has indicated to his lawyer Peter Kaye that he wants to appeal his conviction.

Justice John Priestley said during sentencing today that Hieatt had got into an argument with Ms Vaikaew, objecting to the amount of rent he was asked to pay and at having to leave their flat while her clients visited.

Hieatt, who had been in an on-again, off-again relationship with Ms Vaikaew for about 2-1/2 years, admitted during the trial he strangled her.

He kept her body for a month until it was discovered.

continued NZ Herald

[agord]

For all the would be executioners New Zealand, like ALL civilized countries, does not have the death penalty.

I am not a bleeding heart but if forced to jump to conclusions I would think that this man needs serious psychiatric

treatment. Or at least some serious ENT work to restore his sense of smell!

Obviously sick.

[agord]

This is one of the most disgusting things I have ever heard of. This man is a criminal in the worst sense - death penalty as a minimum!!!

Whats the problem?

He murdered her and left her to rot.

What is a murderer supposed to do?

Does Miss Manners have a recommendation on this one too?

Yes he strangled her, she's dead how is it any more horrific for her? she's not around to know she was left rotting so had he burried her straight away it would have been any less criminal? Criminal in the worst sense I picture Thaksin or Madoff.

[Donnyboy]

This is one of the most disgusting things I have ever heard of. This man is a criminal in the worst sense - death penalty as a minimum!!!

Whats the problem?

He murdered her and left her to rot.

What is a murderer supposed to do?

Does Miss Manners have a recommendation on this one too?

Yes he strangled her, she's dead how is it any more horrific for her? she's not around to know she was left rotting so had he burried her straight away it would have been any less criminal? Criminal in the worst sense I picture Thaksin or Madoff.

lowest of the low would be crimes against children & elderly

[Macmundi]

My sympathy goes to the landlord. The whole apartment must be torn down and walls re-surfaced. Furnitures completely replaced...