Eric Stanley Graham (c. 1900–21 October 1941) was a mass murderer in New Zealand who killed seven people.
Graham was a farmer at Koiterangi , an agricultural district 12 miles from Hokitika in the South Island, where he lived
with his wife and two children. He became argumentative and alienated from the community from 1938 onwards, alleging that neighbours were poisoning his cows. As income from his farm dropped he fell into debt and his behaviour towards others became more threatening.
During 1941, he was in dispute with the police who wanted to relieve him of his firearms because of his mental condition.
On October 8, Graham confronted a neighbour with a rifle. Later that morning Constable Edward Best, 27, attempted to discuss the matter with Graham but backed off with Graham pointing two rifles out the window at him. Best retreated to Hokitika for support and returned to the farm with Sergeant William Cooper, 43, and Constables Frederick Jordan, 26, and Percy Tulloch, 35.
Graham fired at them as they approached the house, and Sergeant Cooper and Constables Jordan and Tulloch were killed instantly, Cooper having at least four bullet wounds in his body.
More than 100 police and army personnel searched dense bush for Graham for 12 days. On October 20 an injured Graham was shot dead by police as he walked out of the bush. There were reports he was intending to surrender to police.
The movie Bad Blood was made about Graham and the killings.
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Last updated: 08-09-2005 20:35:43
