Bio

Christopher John Lewis was born in Dunedin, New Zealand, on September 7, 1964. His early life was reportedly troubled, with school problems, violent behavior, and feelings of isolation. As a teenager, Lewis began committing serious crimes. In 1981, he and two school friends formed a small extremist-style group called the National Imperial Guerrilla Army. That same year, they stole weapons from a gun shop and robbed the Andersons Bay Post Office in Dunedin, holding staff and two children at gunpoint.

On October 14, 1981, Lewis fired a .22 rifle during Queen Elizabeth II’s visit to Dunedin. Later records stated that he had intended to shoot the Queen, but no one was injured. The incident was not widely publicized at the time. Lewis was later convicted of several crimes, including aggravated robbery, arson, burglary, and firearm offences. He served time in prison and also spent time at Lake Alice psychiatric hospital. Police later alleged that he planned to target Prince Charles during another royal visit.

After his release, Lewis continued committing burglaries and robberies. By the time Tania Furlan was killed in 1996, he already had a long criminal history and was still considered a security concern by authorities.

Murder Story

In July 1996, Tania Furlan was found dead inside her home in Howick, Auckland. She had been beaten with a hammer. Her six-week-old daughter, Tiffany, was missing, but she was later found alive outside the Royal Oak Baptist Church, about 18 kilometres away.

Police believed the attack may have been part of a failed kidnapping and ransom plan. Lewis was accused of posing as a delivery man to enter Furlan’s home, then attacking her with a hammer. He was later charged with murder, child abduction, aggravated robbery, and obstruction of justice.

Lewis denied killing Furlan, and his lawyer questioned whether he had been wrongly blamed. Police, however, believed he was responsible. A witness reportedly told investigators that Lewis had confessed to the murder.

The case never went to trial. On September 23, 1997, Lewis was found dead in his cell at Auckland’s Mount Eden Prison. He had electrocuted himself using wires from a television aerial while awaiting trial. He was 32 years old.

Although Lewis died before the case could go to trial and was never convicted of Tania Furlan’s murder, a coroner later reportedly found that he was responsible for her death.