A man convicted of the 2005 murder of a German backpacker is seeking to clear his name through the Criminal Case Review Commission, despite a violent criminal history and a jury verdict that found him guilty.
Michael Scott Wallace, who was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2007, recently appeared before the Parole Board. While his parole was declined, he will appear before the board again next year. During the hearing, Wallace confirmed he is pursuing a bid to overturn his conviction, stating he has already been interviewed by the commission.
“I received a letter just before Christmas,” Wallace told the panel, noting that the commission has a “heck of a backlog” and that the investigation may take some time.
The case dates back to September 20, 2005, when Wallace picked up Birgit Brauer, who was hitchhiking between Whanganui and New Plymouth. According to the details of the crime, Wallace drove Brauer to Lucy’s Gully in Te Papa-Kura-o-Taranaki (formerly known as Egmont National Park), where he bludgeoned her with a metal bar and unbuttoned her jeans.
When a passing vehicle disturbed him, Wallace dragged Brauer into the bush and stabbed her in the chest. Her body was later discovered by a jogger on September 20, 2005. Following an 18-day manhunt, Wallace was arrested nearly three weeks later in the Manawatū area.
At the time of the murder, Wallace was a 44-year-old drug-taking transient. Evidence presented during his legal proceedings revealed an extensive criminal record dating back to 1976, including dishonesty offending, arson, and violence. In 1983, Wallace served a five-year sentence for a home invasion in which he attacked a man and twice raped a woman. He was later imprisoned again for armed robbery.
Despite the conviction, Wallace continues to maintain his innocence. When questioned about his rehabilitative journey in light of his denial, Wallace explained that while he pleaded guilty to his earlier crimes, he maintains that a jury found him guilty in this specific case.
Wallace also addressed a memory lapse of approximately a week and a half surrounding the time of the murder, claiming he was “self detoxing” and attempting to avoid other people at the time.
The significance of the case remains profound for the victim’s family and the investigators involved. Those who knew Birgit Brauer described her as friendly, honest, and open. During sentencing, Brauer’s parents delivered a victim impact statement, telling the court, “To this day, we cannot believe Birgit is not with us. A criminal like him does not deserve to live.”
Retired Taranaki detective Grant Coward, who helped lead the investigation, described the murder as “callous and cold-blooded.” Coward recalled the case as “a real whodunit” that required a team effort to bring Wallace to justice.
Looking forward, the resolution of Wallace’s claim may depend on the findings of the Criminal Case Review Commission. If the commission’s investigation proceeds, it could potentially provide a new legal avenue for Wallace, though he remains imprisoned for the time being and is scheduled for another parole review next year.