Bio

Liam James Reid was born as Julian Heath Edgecombe in July 1972 in New Zealand. Growing up, he faced various challenges which influenced his later life.

Reid had a troubled history that began in his teenage years. He engaged in various forms of delinquency and soon acquired a criminal record. Over the years, he was convicted of multiple offenses, including violence and theft. He had at least 61 previous convictions before his most serious crimes.

In his early twenties, Reid faced serious legal issues, including charges of abduction and attempted murder, but he was acquitted of those charges. Despite this, he continued to exhibit troubling behavior, and his criminal activities escalated. He had a history of involvement in violent incidents and conflicts while he was incarcerated. This pattern of behavior established a foundation for the serious crimes he would eventually commit.

Reid's life changed significantly when he changed his name from Julian Heath Edgecombe to Liam James Reid. Throughout his life, he expressed a desire to gain notoriety, which drove some of his actions. This ambition for infamy has been noted in reports surrounding his later crimes.

By the time he was sentenced to life imprisonment in December 2008 for his brutal offenses, he had already gained a reputation as a dangerous individual with a history marked by violence and criminality. Each step in his early life built towards the darker path he ultimately took.

Murder Story

On November 15, 2007, Liam James Reid murdered Emma Agnew, a 20-year-old deaf woman, in Christchurch, New Zealand. After killing her, he concealed her body near a motor camp in Spencer Park. Reid suffocated Agnew with a sock, which blocked her airway. Following her murder, he was arrested on November 27, 2007, after an armed police raid on a boarding house.

Nine days after Agnew's death, Reid attacked a second victim in Dunedin. He raped and attempted to murder a 21-year-old student. During this attack, he used a rope to choke her. She managed to escape after fighting back. Reid was charged with several crimes for the Dunedin attack, including rape, sexual violation, attempted murder, and robbery.

On October 30, 2008, a jury found Reid guilty on all counts related to both murders. He was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum non-parole term of 26 years on December 12, 2008. This sentence was later reduced to 23 years after an appeal in July 2009. Reid's history of previous convictions and his behavior during the trial indicated a pattern of violent and predatory conduct. He has consistently denied committing these crimes and refused treatment while incarcerated.