She feared the man who killed her sister would kill again. She was right

Six years before murdering two men, Rodney Fallowfield killed his wife Shirley Reedy while on their honeymoon. National Crime Correspondent Sam Sherwood spoke to her eldest sister about how she feared he would kill again, her family's grief and their search for justice.

Roxanne Roxburgh sat in silence as she watched the man who killed her sister leave the dock and walk out of the High Court in Invercargill, heading for the cells below.

There was much she couldn't get her head around. She struggled to understand how he'd been found guilty of manslaughter, not murder for strangling her sister while on their honeymoon. She was also battling the realisation that he had just been jailed for only four years and three months.

There was however one thing she was confident in. This wouldn't be the last time the man would be in a courtroom.

"I knew something would happen. In my heart of hearts, I knew…" she says.

"I thought 'he's got away with it'. It's only a matter of time when something else will happen."

Less than two years later he was released on parole, with the Parole Board saying they considered he was "no longer an undue risk".

Still, Roxburgh didn't buy it.

Then, just three years on it happened. The man, Rodney Fallowfield, did kill again - this time murdering two men.

On Thursday, Fallowfield pleaded guilty to murdering the men as well as wounding a woman with reckless disregard and wounding a man with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. He will be sentenced in April next year.

Roxburgh hopes his next appearance in court is his last.

"He's going to go down now. He can't get out of this one."

Shirley Reedy

Asked how she would describe her sister, Roxburgh gets off her chair and walks into the living room and picks up a picture frame.

She then walks back to the dining table and places the frame on the table

In the photo is Shirley Reedy - a wide smile across her face - wearing a t-shirt with the words "you & me", where the o is in the shape of a love heart.

"Shirley was really outgoing, she was lovely…" Roxburgh begins. "She was beautiful."

Reedy was the second youngest of six daughters, who all grew up in Balclutha.

Roxburgh says her sister was adventurous, so it was no surprise when she left home to work in the tourism industry - first in Milford Sound, before later moving to Invercargill.

She eventually returned to live in Balclutha.

Roxburgh says her sister always wanted to be the centre of attention.

"She liked to be involved in something, like it was all about her. So if there was a birthday coming up and there were other kids, she would love that, but she would always talk about her birthday.

"She wanted to be in the spotlight. Whatever the conversation was, she wanted that."

Reedy, who had over 30 nieces, nephews and great niece and nephews, was the favourite aunt her sister says, in-part due to her generous nature.

"She always bought amazing birthday presents. All those kids remember what Shirley gave them."

She also had a keen interest in fashion with "clothes galore".

"One of the neighbours says she used to park up in the morning and open up her front door and sit there with a cup of coffee waiting to see Shirley walk down the street in one outfit - the weather would change, and she'd come back and have another outfit on. That was Shirley. She loved clothes."

Reedy was a regular sighting, walking down the main street and calling in to see the hairdresser and others she knew along the way.

"Everybody knew her wave", Roxburgh says as she mimics it with her own hand.

Eventually, she met Rodney Fallowfield and began dating him.

Roxburgh says she only met Fallowfield twice.

The first time was at her mother's home while they were having a cup of tea.

"I walked in and she said 'this is my boyfriend Rodney'.

"He looked at me and I looked at him and he was unsettled, I don't know why."

Roxburgh said they had a brief exchange, and she asked if he wanted to come and meet her husband.

"He couldn't get out of there quick enough. He said 'oh yeah, no, Shirley and I got to go."

She says Fallowfield didn't appear to want to mix with the family.

"She always came to the house on her own. I used to say 'Where's Rodney?'

"We never got to know him. He never mixed with us."

The wedding

In April 2019, about a year after they began dating, Roxburgh's mother told her that Reedy had informed her she and Fallowfield were off to Dunedin to get married. No-one took it seriously, and none of the family were invited.

"We said 'oh yeah that's Shirley. Maybe they're going to get a wedding ring, or maybe they're going to get an engagement ring'," she said.

It wasn't until they saw a series of posts on Facebook of the pair getting married - both in all black - that they realised it was real. Fallowfield also a video of the pair exchanging vows and a photo of their first kiss.

Roxburgh says her first reaction was that she didn't believe it would've been her sister's idea.

"We all agreed it wasn't her… what is she doing? This is not her wedding.

"This is not what she would have wanted.

"She loved life… that was not the centre of attention that she has always wanted."

Roxburgh says she was concerned about what was happening to her sister, but says she never got a chance to ask her about it.

"She was in and out. As soon as you say, 'how you going, Shirley?' She'd be good. She would talk in the moment, whatever you're talking about.

"Soon as you mentioned, 'how's Rodney?', she'd say 'oh, yeah, he's all right. I've got to go now'. As soon as you mentioned his name, or ask, 'What's it like? You know, what's it like being married?' she'd say she had to go."

On May 13, 2020, the country went to Alert Level 2, which allowed local travel to return under safety guidelines.

Roxburgh recalls driving down the main street of Balclutha when she spotted her sister on the other side of the street.

"I hadn't seen her for ages. She gave me this big wave. I went to slow down to stop, turn around and see her but she'd gone."

Despite it only being a fleeting sighting, Roxburgh says her sister appeared happy.

"I was happy for her because I could see the smile on her face and that tells me she's OK."

It was the last time Roxburgh would see her sister alive.

The honeymoon

On 15 May 2020 Reedy and Fallowfield went to Te Anau for a belated honeymoon.

That afternoon Reedy posted two photos on Facebook. One of the two newlyweds smiling, and another of Reedy holding a glass of wine.

The post had the caption "Cheers from Te Anau".

Roxburgh saw the post and realised then why her sister looked so happy when she'd seen her the day earlier.

Not long after midnight that evening, Roxburgh was woken up by a knock at the door.

It was a policeman, her mother and someone from victim support who was a friend of the family.

The officer asked if Roxburgh's husband was home, she said he was, and he asked if she could go and wake him up.

"I just went 'you want to see my husband. There's my mother. What's going on?'."

Once her husband was in the room, she asked her mother if she was OK.

"I said, 'has something happened to you'. I thought, oh, they're coming to tell us she's burnt the house down and she's having to come live with us."

The officer told her that they'd had a call from Southland Police. There had been an incident in Te Anau, and the victim had been identified as Shirley Reedy.

"I was just like 'what did you just say', and I just looked at my husband and I said, 'Can you say that again?'.

The officer repeated himself. She then asked if she'd had an accident, the officer said she had not, and they believed she had been strangled. She then asked where Fallowfield was, the officer said he was in custody.

With each detail she received, Roxburgh had more things to ask.

"I wanted questions answered… I didn't want to process the fact that she passed away," she says.

"You go numb. Your brain's trying to process it, it's like you're watching a movie, and you're hearing someone else's story."

It wasn't until after the police officer left that Roxburgh started to process what was happening. She says she was trying to hold in her emotions.

"I had to hold it in because my mother's sitting there, that's her daughter. I could see it on her face, she didn't know how to handle it.

"I'm the eldest of my family, and whenever there's a problem they come to me. I'm looking at her, and she's looking at me to hold her and to console her. I had to be that person."

In the early hours of the morning, while sitting in her living room, Roxburgh finally let go of her emotions.

"I was just sitting in the dark and I just cried because it would never be the same."

Fallowfield's police interview

Fallowfield was interviewed by police at the Invercargill Police Station.

RNZ has obtained a transcript of the interview with Detective Sergeant Dave Kennelly.

In the interview, which lasted about an hour, Fallowfield said the couple had been to his daughter's house and spent a few hours there before going to the motel in Te Anau.

He said they had a drink and went to see where they could get some food. They then walked back to the motel and had a few more drinks.

"Then she changed again and we had a bit of a tiff," Fallowfield said.

He said Reedy then said she would "have me up for rape again". In December 2019, Reedy alleged Fallowfield raped her. No charges were laid.

Fallowfield said he "pleaded with her" not to, but she began yelling "rape, rape".

"I snapped. Cos the whole rape thing makes me feel ikky," he said. "I think she knew my weaknesses and thought she could control me. But that's not an excuse for what I done, I should have just walked away."

Asked what was going through his mind, he said "I just wanted her to be quiet".

"I don't like that hear the word rape I just wanted her to be quiet."

Fallowfield then rang his daughter and told her what he had done and then went to her property in Tuatapere as he wanted to say goodbye to her.

"I wasn't tryna run," he told Kennelly.

He later told Kennelly he didn't understand "why I snapped today, I've been so calm and quiet for years".

"I don't understand it, I have been going through my head and I don't know why it triggered me to do that," he said.

"I don't even hurt my animals I'm, I'm changed to what I used to be like. Don't like hunting, keep to myself."

The trial

Fallowfield went to trial charged with murdering Reedy in July 2021. Roxburgh was there every day of the two weeks with her family.

Fallowfield admitted killing Reedy, but argued he didn't intend to murder her.

Roxburgh says it was "really hard" sitting in the courtroom hearing the evidence, and sitting not far from Fallowfield.

About a week after the trial began the jury went to deliberate their verdict.

Asked how she felt waiting for the jury, the tone in Roxburgh's voice changes.

"We were confident," she says in a defeated tone.

"He put his hands around her throat. He stopped her from breathing. You don't put your hands around a person's throat unless you mean business."

Then, the jury returned its verdict.

Not guilty of murder, but guilty of manslaughter.

"I was numb. I couldn't move," Roxburgh says.

"I just sobbed. There was a policeman that was standing behind me to make sure I was all right. I turned around, and there was nobody, everyone had left. I must have been in there for probably 45 minutes. I didn't even realise, but I couldn't move. I just didn't believe it."

Three months later the family were back in court to see Fallowfield be sentenced.

At the beginning of the hearing Roxburgh stood and read her victim impact statement.

"I wanted him to know she mattered to us… he never even looked me in the eye."

At the conclusion of sentencing, Justice Jan-Marie Doogue jailed

Fallowfield for four years and three months, and said he must serve a minimum of half of his sentence. He had already spent 17 months in prison.

Roxburgh couldn't understand how he could be out in such a short time for killing her sister.

"I was sad for her. It wasn't fair. It was like my sister didn't matter.

"He gets off scot-free, you may as well have slapped his hands. Where's

the justice in that?" she asks.

"I was worn out. I was trying to hold everything together, help the rest of the family. You're kind of prepared, but when you get that - you don't understand it."

Parole

Almost nine months after sentencing, Fallowfield appeared before the Parole Board for the first time.

Before speaking to Fallowfield, the board spoke with Roxburgh.

Roxburgh says she told the board that due to the family's Christian beliefs the family had forgiven Fallowfield.

"I said we had to forgive him because we have to let go of it, otherwise it chews us up… but he has to face the consequences of his actions, and if he hasn't been truthful, it'll follow him," she says.

The Board's decision, seen by RNZ, says Fallowfield's offending "occurred in the context of an argument".

"What was supposed to have been a celebration event ended in her death. Mr Fallowfield was with his partner in a motel when an argument started, and he became angry.

"He strangled his then-wife and left her in the bed at the motel before he went to his daughter's house from where he phoned the police."

Fallowfield had previous convictions, most of which were "relatively historical". They included assaults, attempted arson, dishonesty and burglary.

He was initially referred to the Special Treatment Unit for Violent Offenders, however as part of the "assessment safety concerns" it was determined

Fallowfield would be "unsafe to partake in group activity," and he was referred to partake in individual psychological counselling which he was yet to start, the Board said.

"It is noted that Mr Fallowfield has always admitted his responsibility for the death of his wife and has been prepared to undertake offence-related treatment. He appeared genuinely remorseful in today's hearing."

The Board said Fallowfield told them he wanted to do the psychological counselling sessions and was prepared to do any other courses that were recommended.

"He confirmed to the Board that he was truly sorry for what had happened, and he will have to live with his guilt forever. He was not asking for parole today as he was motivated to receive treatment."

His Principal Corrections Officer [PCO] said there were no concerns with Fallowfield's behaviour in prison.

The Board said Fallowfield "remains an undue risk" until he completed his psychological sessions.

One year later, he was back before the Board.

The Board's decision said Fallowfield had been undergoing individual psychological sessions for about three months, and his statutory release date was about one year away.

Roxburgh reiterated the family had forgiven Fallowfield, but they wanted to know why he committed the killing, not just the details of the offending.

The Board said they posed that question to Fallowfield.

"He said there are no words he can say that will alleviate the distress he has caused and it will also haunt him for the rest of his life what he has done. His expressions of regret and apologies are seen as genuine."

He said the sessions with the psychologist had been good for him, and that he had learnt what he could do in the future to be able to "remove himself from any kind of highly stressful situation".

"Mr Fallowfield very much wants to move on with his life if he is able to and after his stay with [withheld] wants to find his own housing and employment."

The PCO gave him an "excellent report", the Board said.

"In consideration of everything that was heard today Mr Fallowfield will be released on parole," the Board ruled.

He would be released on September 4, when a bed at a place, which is not named in the decision, would become available.

"This Board considers he is no longer an undue risk considering the work he has done in the prison, his presentation today, his future planning and the support he will have in the community and the conditions which are to be imposed. It is noted he is considered as low risk of re‑offending."

Fallowfield was subject to several special conditions which would last six months past his sentence date.

Roxburgh says she was upset to read he was being released. She also was skeptical of his remorse, and the Board's belief he was an undue risk.

"It was hard to accept," she says.

"He got to walk around free every day, and we pay the penalty."

The double murder

Roxburgh tried to carry on with her life and did her best to put Fallowfield out of her mind.

Then, three years after she was notified he'd been released on parole, she got a call from a friend who used to work for her and her husband.

He said he had a personal question to ask. Her first instinct was he needed some advice with something.

"But he said 'Do you know anything about that stabbing in Christchurch?', and I said no, and he goes 'so I want to ask you, do you know Rodney Smith?'.

Roxburgh's demeanour began to change.

"I said well, 'I know a Rodney Smith that was also known as Rodney Fallowfield that killed my sister'. And he said 'yeah it's the same one'."

He then told her a friend of his, and another man, had been killed and Fallowfield was charged with murdering them.

Roxburgh's fears had become reality.

"I felt like, 'What a waste, what a thing to happen. I felt sad for the victims. It could've all been avoided…. it should never have happened, he should never have had the opportunity to do that.

"If he had gotten murder, he wouldn't be out, and he would have been getting more help than what he did.

A court document obtained by RNZ outlines the details of the double murders.

About midnight on October 10, Fallowfield, who was living at the Guthrey Courts (a residential complex owned by Ōtautahi Community Housing Trust) saw a man running away from his car via a CCTV camera inside his unit.

He believed the man to be Nigel Robinson, a 51-year-old who resided elsewhere. Fallowfield then went to his car and saw that the tyres had been punctured.

He then went to another unit and requested access to the footage, however was told that the CCTV system wasn't operational.

"Angered by the damage to his vehicle, the defendant returned to his unit and retrieved a large bowie-style knife with a blade measuring approximately 20cm, which he kept beside his bed," the court document says.

He concealed the knife in one of his sleeves, and also armed himself with a smaller black handled folding knife which he secured in his belt.

He then walked to the unit occupied by the victims.

A 47-year-old woman answered the door, and Fallowfield entered the unit and confronted the occupants.

"He demanded to know who was responsible for slashing his tyres."

When no one admitted responsibility, he produced the large knife.

Fallowfield first approached Robinson and stabbed him multiple times, targeting his chest, intending to kill him.

Robinson ran from the unit, but collapsed and died shortly after.

The woman tried to intervene, but Fallowfield stabbed her with the knife to force her away.

He then turned his attention to a 52-year-old man who was a resident of the complex and was standing beside a bed.

The man attempted to defend himself and come to Robinson's aid, however Robinson stabbed him multiple times.

Fallowfield then moved towards Glen Tukaki, a 59-year-old man. Tukaki, had mobility issues relating to the amputation of a leg.

Fallowfield said to Tukaki "I'm going to enjoy this".

He then repeatedly stabbed him in the upper torso with the knife intending to kill him.

Robinson then left the unit and returned to his unit and got a sword to "hunt down" Robinson.

However, before he could do so, he was approached by a neighbour who persuaded him to return the sword.

Fallowfield did, and then damaged a car belonging to the 52-year-old man by puncturing it with his knife.

He, and his neighbour, then left the complex and walked down Olliviers Rd. He was arrested a short time later.

Tukaki suffered multiple stab wounds and died at the scene.

When spoken to by police, Fallowfield said he intended to kill Robinson and Tukaki. He said he identified Robinson and the 52-year-old man as the primary threats within the unit.

During the interview he was told Robinson had died.

"You have me good news," he replied.

"I didn't think I killed [Robinson] that's the one I wanted."

In relation to the woman, Fallowfield said she became involved while he was attacking the other occupants and that if she had not intervened, he would not have hurt her.

When asked if he regretted his actions, Fallowfield said he did not and would do it again if he had the chance.

'Give him the due sentence'

Roxburgh listens as some of the comments from Fallowfield's final parole report are read out.

"I never believed that," she says in response to the line about him being a low risk of re-offending.

She believes more work should've been done while he was in prison.

"Whatever it is that's been sitting inside him and what led to Shirley's death… what's in his mind? And did they ever reach that?"

Fallowfield will be sentenced in April next year.

Roxburgh says without any hesitation, she wants the justice system to get it right this time.

"Give him the due sentence."

She says for some in the family life imprisonment for Fallowfield would be some form of justice for Reedy.

"Finally he's got caught, finally he's going to go up for it… he's going to go down now. He can't get out of this one."

Others in the family wish there was a way they could get Fallowfield to face trial again for Reedy's death.

She says the last six years have taken a significant toll on the family, especially her mother.

"She used to be so bubbly and vibrant. But when Shirley died, something died with her… She's just lost that spark."

As for herself, Roxburgh says she lost her own son about 11 months after Reedy died after suffering a heart attack.

"I understood what it's like for a parent to lose a child. It's been so much grieving."

News of Fallowfield's latest killings had spread throughout the small community.

"This has all been on Facebook, and everywhere we go now. I went into Balclutha this morning … and people are looking at you because of what's happened," she says.

"It's reliving it all over again, going back to something that you've just began to settle yourself with and rest in it. You're waiting for people to come and question you, and it's like we know what you're thinking, and we think it too."

As she sits at her kitchen table, she glances back at the photo of her sister.

It's the way she wants her sister to be remembered.

"That's her smile," she says.

"That's her."