NATIONAL NEWS: Teresa Cormack’s killer, Jules Mikus, dies

90

One of New Zealand’s most notorious killers has died while serving a life sentence for the death of 6-year-old Teresa Cormack.

Jules Mikus abducted, raped and murdered the Napier girl in 1987. DNA evidence was used to finally catch and jail him 15 years later, in 2002.

[smartslider3 slider=3]

A Corrections spokesman confirmed to Stuff Mikus had died in custody at Rimutaka Prison on December 6.

“Police have been advised and are responsible for notifying next of kin. The death is not being treated as suspicious,” they said.

It was reported Mikus was dying from a brain tumour in September.

Keith Price, who arrested Jules Mikus in 2002, now a Napier City councillor, said he had the death confirmed over the weekend.

He earlier said it was a “horrific murder that changed the way of the nation”. Before the murder, children routinely walked to school: “That is what you did.”

He recalls interviewing Mikus in 2002. “He was cold, hard and made no admission whatsoever – a very, very cold person.”

Mikus denied his crimes but the DNA samples were “very conclusive”, Price said.

Police got a blood sample from Teresa’s clothes which, 14 years later, they matched with Mikus’ blood. That led to his eventual conviction. “It was good to get the result. I worked on the case at the start and then worked on it at the end, ” Price said.

Mikus originally had an alibi but it was later discovered Teresa had been walking the streets for longer than first thought.

In 2016, the Parole Board postponed his release for five years. Mikus refused to appear for the Parole hearing and maintained his innocence.

“Given his assessed very high risk of sexual reoffending, we are satisfied that even if Mr Mikus changes his mind and engages now, it will take at least five years before there is any prospect that he could safely be released.”

After that decision, Mikus’ former partner, Shirley Te Kooti, said she received a blood-soaked letter from the murderer.

Mikus would often write to Te Kooti about the case in great detail.

Te Kooti, who has two children to Mikus, supported him during the trial but has subsequently cut all ties.

“I really think he should stay where he is, ” she said. “It is about safety, safety for people’s children and for me. He is deluded.”

Te Kooti could still remember the soft knock on the door back in 2002 when police came to arrest Mikus.

“They said they were here for Jules Mikus. They walked into the house and he just walked off with them. No yelling, no screaming.”

The pair were together for six years before his arrest. During that time, she was not allowed to leave their house unless he gave permission, she said. “He was not a good father, he was racist.”

Following the trial, she received medical help as she struggled to come to terms with his conviction. She often thought about Teresa and her family. “I think about that little girl a lot.”

The Department of Corrections, in a statement, said it could not release information about a prisoner’s healthcare.

“Corrections has a statutory obligation to ensure prisoners receive the same standard of care that they would receive in the community.

“All prisons provide primary healthcare services, which include general practitioner (GP) services, nursing, basic dentistry and some disability support services. Prison health centres do not provide hospital-level care or specialist services.”

Cormack’s family have been approached for comment.

Mikus’ death has been referred to the coroner.

Source - stuff
- Advertisement - [smartslider3 slider=4]