Casefile True Crime - Case 179: Christie Marceau

Episode Date: June 12, 2021

On the morning of September 6 2011, Auckland teenager Christie Marceau was woken by a troubling phone call from an acquaintance named Akshay Chand. The two 18-year-olds had previously worked together at a supermarket, and Chand was now threatening to take his own life. --- Narration – Anonymous Host Research & writing – Erin Munro Creative direction – Milly Raso Production and music – Mike Migas Music – Andrew D.B. Joslyn For all credits and sources please visit casefilepodcast.com/case-179-christie-marceau

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MUSIC Christy Marceau was abruptly awoken by the sharp ringing of her family's telephone. The 18-year-old had been sleeping in. It was 10 a.m. on Tuesday, September 6, 2011, and she didn't need to be anywhere that morning. Christy was nearing the end of her first year at New Zealand's Auckland University of Technology,

where she was studying events management. Her dream was to have her own events company by the age of 30. For now, she was still living in the family home where she'd grown up in the suburb of Hillcrest on the city's north shore. The phone stopped ringing before Christy could answer it. She hadn't gotten to it in time.

But then, a few seconds later, it started ringing again. This time, Christy picked up the receiver and said, hello. A male voice on the other end asked to speak with her. This is Christy, she replied. It turned out that the caller was an acquaintance of hers named Akshay Chand. Up until recently, the pair had both worked

at the same local supermarket. They weren't close, but they were friendly, chatting during their shifts and sometimes talking outside of work via Facebook Messenger. They lived just a few blocks from one another, and Chand had been over to Christy's house on several occasions.

He often needed someone to speak with about his personal problems. Kind and open-hearted, Christy was always willing to listen. Christy knew that Chand had been struggling lately, but she couldn't have anticipated what he said next. Her heart sank, as he stated. I put 40 pills into a drink and I've crushed them all. And if you don't get to my house within 10 minutes,

I'm gonna drink them. Without hesitating, Christy headed over to help Chand. MUSIC Christy Marceau had been in such a rush after receiving Akshay Chand's call that she barely had time to get dressed. She hastily pulled on a pair of black tracksuit pants and a jumper over the blue top, bra,

and bikini bottoms that she'd been sleeping in. Then she grabbed her keys and mobile phone, ran outside to her car, and drove the one-kilometre journey to Chand's home. It wasn't in Christy's nature to ignore a cry for help. She harboured a soft spot for those who found life more difficult. Once during high school, she'd noticed a younger boy standing all alone.

When Christy asked if he was all right, the boy told her he had no friends. Christy took it upon herself to introduce him to a group of students his age and helped him make conversation with them. The boy's mother later called the school to pass along her thanks to Christy. Her deep sense of compassion had also led Christy

to volunteer for an animal welfare charity and organise fundraisers aimed at ending world hunger. She had a wide circle of friends from all walks of life that she socialised with often. Unlike Christy, Akshay Chand had a very small circle of friends. He was extremely intelligent but socially awkward, especially around women.

He and his family had emigrated to New Zealand from BG when he was four years old. As children, Chand and Christy were in the same year at Willow Park Primary School, but they didn't really know one another. They went on to attend different high schools and didn't meet again until they finished school and got jobs at the same supermarket.

Christy behind a checkout and Chand at the meat counter. Christy was kind and friendly and as they spent more time working together, Chand began to confide in her. The truth was he was depressed and felt miserable about his life. He wasn't close with his family and felt directionless when it came to his future.

Christy felt sorry for Akshay Chand, but his attention towards her had started to feel a little intense. In June 2011, she left her position at the supermarket for a new job at a cheese shop. Without work throwing them together, she saw a lot less of Chand.

By the time he called her on the morning of September 6th, it had been a while since the pair had spoken. Christy knew how he'd been struggling. Surely, if he was calling her threatening suicide, then he was in serious trouble. It only took a few minutes for Christy to arrive at the apartment building where Chand lived with his mother and younger sister.

She parked her car on the street and walked up the steps to knock on the property's screen door. Chand answered and invited her in. Christy followed him through the front door, which he locked behind them. There was no one else home. Chand's mother was working and his 16-year-old sister was at school.

As the two teenagers sat down in two chairs facing one another, Christy noticed some white powder on a bench top. It looked as though it had been left after someone had crushed up some pills. Clearly, Chand was serious when he said he'd prepared a drink laced with medication. Christy asked him where the drink was.

Do you think I am stupid, he replied. I obviously hid it because I knew that you'd find it. Then he began rambling, telling Christy how he had some specific aims and a task he'd been planning for the day. Concerned, Christy encouraged him to get some professional help. This advice upset Chand.

The way he saw it, Christy had hardly been there for him since she'd left the supermarket. He began ranting, accusing her of not even trying to be his friend. Christy explained that she'd been busy with her university studies and her new job. Chand retorted that she could have taken five minutes

to contact him on Facebook and that would have been enough. Then he added, let's face it, we both know that you haven't been very busy. Christy was growing nervous. The more Chand badgered her about why she hadn't attempted to help him,

the more she tried to explain that she wasn't in a position to do so. He needed to see a mental health professional. Chand responded that he didn't need that at all. What he needed was Christy's help. Then he told her that he had cervical cancer. Christy disputed this, informing him that only females could get that disease.

Chand abruptly changed his story, claiming he had prostate cancer instead. Making up stories about having cancer was too much for Christy. It was a serious illness, not something to use to get attention. She told Chand as much. His expression grew angry

and he stood from his chair, looming over her. Suddenly, he reached into the back waistband of his tracksuit pants and pulled out a long kitchen knife. The knife was about 20 centimetres long and very sharp. Chand's right fist tightly held its handle as he waved it over Christy. This is how it's gonna go, he said.

If you scream, I'm gonna knife you. Christy began to sob, which prompted Chand to tell her to shut up and calm down. She was still holding her mobile phone in one hand and thought about texting her best friend for help. But Chand noticed the device and demanded, give me your phone. Christy held onto it tightly.

It was the only connection she had to the outside world. Chand tried to wrestle it out of her hand, saying, we can either do this the hard way or the easy way. You know what you'll get if you don't give it to me. He succeeded in prizing the phone away from Christy and placed it out of her reach. Then he turned his attention back to the matter at hand. As he started explaining to Christy,

Chand had several things he wanted to accomplish that day. First, he wanted to terrify her. Next, he wanted to enact revenge against her for abandoning him. And finally, once those missions were complete, he would take his own life. Christy continued to cry. Chand ordered her to remove her jumper and hand it to him.

She did, and once the garment was in his hands, he rummaged through its pockets. After finding them empty, Chand demanded Christy take off the blue top she was wearing as well. Christy refused. You know what will happen if you don't do it, Chand warned. Christy pulled the top off over her head

and passed it to Chand. Then he told her to stand up and prove that she wasn't hiding any objects in her tracksuit pants. Christy did so, emptying both pockets. He then told her to remove her pants. Christy refused and cried even harder. Again, Chand threatened her with the knife. Realizing she had no choice,

Christy took off her pants, leaving her only in her underwear. Chand gathered all of her clothes and bundled them into a pile before taking a seat in an armchair. He began talking again. His rantings were confusing and bizarre. Sometimes he discussed the economic system

of capitalism at length. Then he switched to talking about spiritual matters like God and the devil. According to Chand, the devil had tried to grab him one night, and ever since then, he'd been fighting a losing battle against evil. He rambled on and on,

complaining that people like Christy caused others to suffer. Chand accused her of only being there for him when it was too late, saying, By now, more than half an hour had passed since Christy had arrived at the apartment. Terrified, she asked. Are you going to kill me? Chand reminded Christy of the three aims he'd had for the day,

to scare her, to get revenge, and to kill himself. He'd never said how he intended to have revenge, but now he was ready to tell her. He planned to rape her. Christy burst into tears again, prompting Chand to tell her to compose herself. Then, all of a sudden, he changed his mind. Abruptly, he told Christy that she could leave.

He returned her clothes and mobile phone. Still petrified, Christy didn't trust Chand's unexpected change of heart. What if he planned to catch her off guard by stabbing her as soon as she turned her back? She aired this fear, prompting Chand to put the knife down. I'm gonna let you go, he said. But I just want you to know that once you leave,

I'm gonna drink the drink I made. Christy briefly paused, trying to convince Chand not to do it. Despite what he'd put her through, her conscience wouldn't allow her to just walk away when he said that. But Chand was insistent. Too scared to stay a minute longer,

Christy turned and ran out of the apartment. She raced down the stairs that led to ground level and over to her car. Other people were out and about, strolling along the footpath with no idea of what had just happened to her. Christy thought about asking one of them for help, but she knew she wouldn't feel safe

until she was back in her own home. Once she was in the driver's seat, Christy locked her car doors and started the engine. Then she made her way home. As far as Christy's parents were concerned, she had been their miracle baby. Shortly after having their first child, a girl they named Heather,

Tracy and Brian Marceau tried to conceive again. It had taken them six long years before Christy was born and their family was complete. Heather and Christy looked the same, but they had very different personalities. Where Heather was quiet and serious, Christy was bubbly and mischievous. Despite these differences and the years between them,

the two sisters loved each other dearly. By 2011, the close-knit Marceau family was somewhat scattered. Heather had moved out of home years earlier, while Brian worked at a mine in South Australia. He would fly there for weeks at a time and return home to New Zealand when he could. Tracy planned to move to Adelaide in the new year so she could be closer to her husband.

Christy wanted to go too. She would transfer to an Australian university and was excited at the prospect of living in a new city. On the morning of Christy's attack, Tracy was busy at work when her mobile started ringing at around 11.30. Glancing down at its screen, she saw that her mother Shirley was calling.

Shirley lived with her and granddaughter Christy in a self-contained flat on their house's lower level. Tracy answered the call. She could hear Christy crying hysterically in the background. Then Tracy heard her mother's voice. Love, I think you had better come home. Christy has been attacked. Tracy immediately left work

and was home within 15 minutes. Upon seeing her mother, Christy embraced her and wouldn't let go. Sobbing and shaking the entire time, she told Tracy what Akshay Chant had done to her. Tracy didn't know Chant well. He certainly wasn't one of Christy's friends, though she had mentioned his name

after she started working at the supermarket with him. Christy had described him as a lonely boy with few friends. One Sunday a few months earlier, Tracy and Christy returned home after driving Brian to the airport and found Chant waiting in their driveway. Christy chatted with him for a little while, then he went home.

Christy had reassured her mother that Chant just needed to speak to someone who was nice to him, but his behavior unnerved Tracy. There was something about the teenager that made her deeply uncomfortable. She asked Christy not to speak to him anymore. Christy was adamant that he was nothing to worry about

and there were no more incidents that Tracy was aware of until the assault in his home that morning. The details of what had happened to her daughter devastated, terrified and sickened Tracy. She took Christy to North Shore police station to file an official complaint. Christy recounted her ordeal again for the police. She revealed that during the assault,

she'd been able to hear the voices of Akshay Chant's neighbors next door. She deliberately tried to cry loudly, hoping they might hear her. She had also tried to placate Chant by agreeing with him when he told her how awful she was, a strategy she'd learned about while watching police procedural programs

like Criminal Minds. Christy had considered trying to escape by running for the front door, but it was locked and she knew that if she fumbled or Chant caught up to her, she'd be in trouble. She even wondered if she should let Chant stab her just once. Perhaps if he did, the reality of the violence

would have snapped him out of whatever he was thinking. Then she would have been free to leave and see her family again. Christy had no idea why Chant had suddenly changed his mind and let her go, but she was convinced it wasn't over and that he might attack her again. She revealed that Chant

had actually been stalking her for a while. Unbeknownst to her parents, she'd come home to find him sitting on her doorstep more than once. He had also followed her home after a work party where he'd gotten very drunk. Not long after that, he left a note in the letterbox in which he confessed he's loved her and insisted that she help him by becoming his counselor.

Chant also tried to give her a large sum of money as a gift. Christy refused to accept it, but he was insistent. She held onto it, suspecting he would ask for it back. He did a few days later. Chant constantly rambled to Christy about diseases he thought he had or how he hated capitalism, which he blamed for ruining his family.

She was polite, but found their conversations frustrating. When Christy resigned from her job at the supermarket, Chant quit on the same day, saying he had no reason to be there if she was gone. It was abundantly clear that he now harbored a lot of anger towards her. She was terrified at the thought that he was still out there. The police officers who took down Christy's statement

understood the danger. Akshay Chant was unpredictable and unstable. They held Christy's concerns that he could strike again. Detectives were quickly dispatched to his residence to place him under arrest. After Christy had left Chant's home, he retrieved the drink he'd prepared earlier. He'd filled it with around 50 crushed multivitamin tablets,

which he'd stolen from his mother. He had read somewhere that consuming a large quantity of multivitamins had a toxic effect on the human body. Chant had swallowed the drink, intending to end his life. Sometime later, his 16-year-old sister returned home from school. Chant asked her to call an ambulance for him,

and the paramedics took him to North Shore Hospital's emergency department. Once there, Chant was assessed by a psychiatric registrar and a nurse. He admitted to feeling depressed and unloved and said his parents couldn't care less about his struggles. He hadn't always felt this way. As a child, Akshay Chant had always been quiet and shy

but enjoyed periods of happiness. When he was eight years old, his family had relocated to Wales for his father's work. Chant flourished in the UK and would later reflect on his time there as the happiest he'd ever been. But in less than two years, Chant moved back to New Zealand with his mother and sister.

His father stayed behind. Soon, Chant's parents had announced their plans to separate. After that, he had little to do with his father. The young boy was academically brilliant with teachers describing him as smart, polite and full of potential. However, by his mid-teens,

his grades were rapidly falling. Instead of going on to university as many had expected, Chant didn't even graduate his final year at school. Though he had previously had a small group of close friends, his social life dwindled as he became more withdrawn, spending most of his time holed up in his bedroom. He would read, listen to music and play chess online. Chant became fixated with capitalism

after reading Das Kapital by German philosopher and economist Karl Marx. At night, he struggled to sleep. And would make up for it by staying in bed the next day. His weight fluctuated, but he never abused drugs or alcohol. His lack of motivation led him to resisting his mother's entreaties that he resume his studies

or find a job. Chant was exhibiting classic symptoms of depression. Eventually, his aunt organized a job for him at the same supermarket where she worked. It was there that he met Christy Marso, one of the few girls who he felt comfortable speaking to. Soon, he was opening up to her about his problems. Though Chant told the hospital staff

how awful he'd been feeling and how rejected he felt by his peers, he mentioned nothing about Christy or what he'd done to her earlier that day. The psychiatric registrar diagnosed Chant as having depression with suicidality. He found no symptoms of psychosis but made a point of writing in his notes.

Some grandiose or entitled flavor to his discussion, also slightly narcissistic. He prescribed Chant with an antidepressant and referred him to a community mental health team for follow-up. When the police arrived at Chant's residence, they found only his mother at home. She had no idea where her son was.

The officers managed to track him down at North Shore Hospital where they began to interview him. As police queried him about each stage of the attack against Christy, Chant responded to almost every question by simply saying, yeah. Within minutes, he'd admitted to everything. That same evening, he was charged with kidnapping,

assault with intent to commit sexual violation and threatening to do grievous bodily harm. Chant was transferred to the police station so a formal interview could take place. He said that he'd been planning to rape Christy but inexplicably changed his mind and decided to let her go. His motive for the entire attack had been revenge.

Chant said that he'd been furious at Christy for not helping him with his depression and admitted to still wanting vengeance. Although Akshay Chant had never been in trouble before, the police were extremely concerned by the violent nature of his crimes. As one of the station's detectives noted, his actions were quite a big jump

for somebody who had never offended before. Plus, he was apparently still harboring anger towards Christy. The officers were in no doubt as to what should happen next. Chant should be kept in custody until the case could go to court. Detective Sergeant James Watson prepared a document titled Grounds for Opposing Bail.

In it, he detailed how Akshay Chant had admitted to attacking and detaining Christy Marso with the intent of sexually assaulting her. His confession meant that a conviction was extremely likely and incarceration would be inevitable given the seriousness of his crimes. Detective Watson made a particular point of noting Christy's extreme fear of Chant

and her desire that he be detained. The proximity of their homes to one another meant that he could be at her house within minutes if he decided to strike again. Three days after the attack, Akshay Chant appeared in court. His attorney argued her client should be granted bail as he was just 18 years old.

The country's bail act at the time meant that defendants who were over the age of 17 but under the age of 20 must be released on bail unless they had a prior conviction. Chant had no previous arrests, let alone convictions. Chant's attorney conceded that his mental health issues were a factor but explained he was about to start taking antidepressants.

If given bail, he would live with his mother so she could supervise him. He would also attend a psychiatric appointment within a week of release. The police prosecutor protested these conditions telling judge Barbara Morris that Chant's mother's home was totally inappropriate. If traveling by car,

it was approximately one kilometer from Christy Marso's house. It was even closer to reach by foot. Chant and Christy's homes sat in streets that were practically parallel to one another and just 350 meters apart. Chant could cut across a reserve that separated their two blocks and be at the Marso residence within five minutes.

Judge Morris agreed that such an arrangement was unacceptable. Despite the bail act, the only way she would consider providing bail was if Chant agreed to stay at a mental health facility. However, it was unlikely such a facility would accept him as he wasn't exhibiting the sorts of symptoms that required intervention

in accordance with New Zealand's Mental Health Act. Ultimately, judge Morris ordered that Akshay Chant receive a full psychiatric assessment and denied him bail, citing public safety concerns and Christy Marso's anxieties. I must take her wishes into account, judge Morris said. I do not consider it prudent or wise to grant bail until at least a full forensic report can be obtained.

Meanwhile, Christy was struggling. The traumatic ordeal she had suffered shattered her sense of safety and security. Her father Brian was still away in Australia and wouldn't be returning for almost a week. Christy knew that if she told him about the assault, he would fly home immediately. Not wanting to cause her father any distress,

she decided not to tell him what had happened until he arrived back. Christy was too scared to sleep in her own room, which sat on the lower level of her home. She initially slept beside her mother. After two weeks, she moved into the spare room next to her parents. Eventually, she was able to return to her own bed,

but if she heard strange sounds during the night, she would ask her mom and dad to check up on them. Christy also no longer felt safe taking public transport. Her parents would drop her off at work or university, then collect her afterwards. She kept a diary and saw a counsellor to deal with the trauma she had been left with. Her greatest fear was that Akshay Chand would be released.

She wasn't only scared for her own life, she was terrified he might target her family or become fixated with another girl. By early November, life was slowly starting to feel good again. Chand was finally going to trial on Wednesday, November 9th, and in a couple of months, Christy and her parents would be moving to Australia.

What was initially planned as an exciting new chapter was now going to be the opportunity for a much needed fresh start. On the morning of Sunday, November 6th, Christy and Tracy went out for brunch together. Christy was seeing a friend to later that day, but was keen to spend some quality time with her mum beforehand.

She was determined to have pancakes, so they went from cafe to cafe until they found one that had them on the menu. As they sat and ate, the two happily discussed their upcoming plans. Tracy and Brian were planning to take Christy to see some pandas at the zoo. Christy planned to wear a panda hat she owned

for the occasion, as they chatted. Christy made a point of saying to Tracy, Mum, I love you. The next morning, Tracy got up at 6.30 to get ready for work. She let the family dogs outside, ate breakfast and took a shower. Still wearing her dressing gown,

she was preparing to get dressed for the day when there was a knock at the front door. It was still early, about 7 a.m., but Tracy wasn't surprised by the knock. Christy liked to shop online and her orders were usually delivered at the start of the day. As Christy was still in bed,

sleeping in before a late morning shift at work, Tracy went to answer the door herself. Standing on the doorstep was a young man. Tracy didn't recognise him at first. Then, Tracy realised it was Akshay Chant. He was holding a knife. Tara washed over Tracy as Chant pushed his way inside, brandishing the weapon at her.

She screamed as loudly as she could, hoping Christy would hear, realise something dangerous was happening and escape, or maybe some neighbours would hear and call for help. Still threatening Tracy with the knife, Chant asked who else was in the house. Thinking quickly, Tracy told him her husband was home. It was a lie. He had gone back to Australia for work.

Chant seemed to know this, prompting Tracy to wonder if he'd been watching them for some time. Suddenly, Christy appeared on the staircase near Tracy and Chant, barefoot and wearing a t-shirt and boxer shorts. Her mother's screams had woken her and she walked up from her bedroom to see what was wrong. Upon seeing Chant, Christy screamed, oh my god.

Frozen with fear, she stood at the top of the stairs without moving. Chant continued to point the knife at Tracy, while edging closer to Christy. Then he kicked her square in the chest, sending her tumbling down the stairs. Christy fell back, then managed to get to her feet. She scrambled down the rest of the staircase.

In her rush, she slipped and fell again. Then she got up and ran through the self-contained flat where her grandma Shirley lived, out towards the back garden. Chant chased after her. Tracy decided to call for help. Given what Chant had done the last time, she thought he was intending to threaten and scare Christy. Surely once her daughter reached downstairs,

she would be able to lock herself in Shirley's flat, preventing Chant from reaching her. The police were familiar with the case and would prioritize her call. They'd be here within minutes and could arrest Chant. Panicked, Tracy dialled emergency services. Police sent police, she begged the operator. There's a guy got into our house and he's after my daughter. Just as she gave her address, she heard a scream.

It was Christy. Tracy dropped the phone and ran downstairs. Christy was lying on the deck outside in the garden. There was a pool of blood beneath her. Chant was standing nearby. Tracy raced to her daughter and held Christy in her arms. She couldn't see any injuries on her front, but Christy didn't seem able to move.

It looked like she was struggling to breathe. Tracy repeatedly told her daughter that she loved her and encouraged her to hold on because help was on the way. It looked to Tracy as though Christy was trying to tell her something. Then as she gazed into Christy's eyes, Tracy saw the light go out of them. Christy had died. Chant was still standing nearby.

As Tracy turned her attention to him, she saw the knife remained in his hand. Its blade now bent at a 90 degree angle. Chant was covered in blood. Not caring if he attacked her next, Tracy screamed at him that he had killed Christy. In an emotionless voice, he replied, I am glad.

Police arrived at the scene less than 10 minutes after the attack began. Chant was still standing in the backyard, listening to music on an iPod. The bent and broken knife now lay on the ground. An officer approached him and asked why he was there. Chant replied, Reprisal. Another officer noticed that Chant's hands were shaking

and asked him why. He answered, It's not easy to kill someone, is it? Chant was placed under arrest and taken to North Shore Police Station. Tracy had the painful task of notifying her other daughter Heather and her husband Brian of what had happened to Christy. Heather immediately rushed over to be with her family, but Brian had to catch two separate flights from Australia to make it back to Auckland.

A police officer met him as soon as he's plane landed in New Zealand and a sobbing Brian was rushed through customs. The grief-stricken Marso's had been terrified that something like this would happen, ever since Akshay Chant had been granted bail about one month earlier. Although Judge Barbara Morris had initially refused bail when Chant was first arrested for kidnapping Christy in September, she had requested that further reports be commissioned, with a view to reconsidering the matter soon.

Chant's age and his lack of priors entitled him to bail under New Zealand law. He and his lawyer quickly filed a second application. As well as commencing medication and receiving further mental health reviews, Chant had written a seemingly heartfelt letter to the court expressing his remorse for attacking Christy. It read in part, I am incredibly sorry for the ordeal I put Christy through. Given the chance, I will apologise to her, her parents and anyone else affected. Ironically, the last thing she said to me was that she was sorry.

It's only after the events of the day that she realised how much pain depression had caused me and how much I needed her and vice versa. She was my emotional outlet. There was nothing I couldn't tell her and device versa. She's really adamant and I'm sure she feels she's the one to blame. I take full responsibility for my actions and accept the consequences of my wrongdoings. Christy also submitted her own letter, pleading that Chant be denied bail. She wrote,

I am worried that he may still try to get revenge on me as he is already in trouble and has nothing to lose if he tries again. This causes me to worry for my safety. I would like to get on with my life, but at present, I need to know that I don't have to encounter him as I try to restore my faith in people. This has caused me a lot of distress. Chant's application was heard on October 5 before Judge David McNaughton. Although the judge read Christy's letter and was aware police wanted to keep the defendant

in custody, he made the decision to grant Akshay's request. He made the decision to grant Akshay Chant bail. He was to stay at his mother's home just 350 meters from Christy's under constant family supervision. He was only permitted to leave for medical and illegal appointments, which he had to attend with a chaperone. And he was barred from having any contact whatsoever with Christy Marceau. The police were bitterly disappointed at this turn of events, but they reassured the Marceaus that they would protect them. Officers would perform random checks to ensure Chant was home

at various times of the day. Every single officer working across the North Shore was also briefed on the case, so they could keep an eye out for Chant. In total, police had checked on Chant's 23 times during the 32 days he was out. He had been home every time. Despite their assurances, Christy's fear escalated. During the month that Chant had been in custody, she had slowly been trying to return to life as she'd known it before. The small sense of security that she'd gradually regained was shattered in an instant. Knowing that Chant was free and living mere meters away from her had made her feel more unsafe than ever before. 32 days later, he showed up at her doorstep with a knife.

Forensic experts processed the crime scene at the Marceau residence. Photographs were taken of the blood spatters across the deck and murder weapon, which had become bent and broken after Chant viciously stabbed Christy between 10 and 15 times. He'd attacked her from behind, delivering a violent blow to the back of her head. The force of this had caused Christy to fall to the ground, where Chant continued to stab her in the back. The initial wound had been so incapacitating that Christy would have felt little after that. Akshay Chant was interviewed at length by Detective Darren Atwood. As with the first attack, he appeared extremely calm and admitted to everything.

Chant had been plotting to kill Christy for some time. Despite seemingly having a change of heart and releasing Christy the first time he assaulted her, Chant never let go of his desire for revenge. He started thinking about killing her while he was in custody after this initial attack. He knew he'd had to get out of jail so he could follow through with it. He had feigned remorse in his letter to Judge McNaughton in the hopes this would increase his chances of getting bail. Once he was out, he began to make plans. Chant knew that Christy and her family would be on guard in the days following his release, so he decided to bide his time. If he waited a few weeks before striking,

then he was more likely to catch her unawares. Although the judge had believed Chant would be under constant supervision, his mother, Suchita, had to work most days. His younger sister, who was just 16, was scared of Chant and started staying over at friends' houses to avoid being near him. Before going to work, Suchita made a point of hiding all the kitchen knives in a secret compartment beneath the oven, but Chant knew what she was doing and had managed to sneak one away about a week earlier. He'd woken up at 6.30am that morning, knowing that it was the day. He was heading back to court

in two days' time, so Christy probably thought she was safe. As Chant remarked to the detective, when you've got nothing to lose, nothing to gain, it becomes completely viable to kill someone. He got out of bed and brushed his hair, which he didn't usually bother to do. Then he went to his closet, where he'd stashed a bag containing the stolen knife. Suchita had already left for the day, but his sister was in bed asleep, so Chant made sure to leave quietly. As he began walking towards Christy's house, he put his headphones on and repeatedly listened to Up on the Ladder by Radiohead on his iPod. In one interpretation of the song's lyrics, they detailed the emotional torment and frustration

of a man who seeks an answer from the woman he loves as to where their relationship is heading. However, Chant understood it. He felt the song had been written especially for and about him. Chant detailed how he'd reached the Marso residence in mere minutes, then forced his way past Tracy. He'd chased Christy through the house and out into the garden. She had been attempting to unlatch a gate and escape when he caught up to her. He stabbed her until his knife became twisted and unusable, then stood back and watched as Tracy ran out and cradled her dying daughter. Chant felt absolutely no guilt or remorse about taking Christy's life.

As he explained to detectives, she deserved to die because she let me down. Police charged Akshay Chant with murder. He then warned that he had a female accomplice, and even if he was locked up, his collaborator would continue to kill. The police again prepared paperwork to prevent Chant receiving bail, but this time he didn't even apply for it. Two days later, Tracy Marso went to North Shore Police Station to provide a statement. The only way she was able to function was by taking medication, but the interview was still extremely difficult. Tracy was battling guilt for having opened the

door to her daughter's killer, not realizing it was Chant standing before her until it was too late. She wished she had fought him off rather than calling the police. She was tormented by the thought of how scared Christy was in her final moments. All I can see, all I will ever see, is my daughter lying on my lap, gasping, covered in blood, and just dying for some pointless reason, Tracy told the officers. He just stood there and watched it. He didn't even try to get away. What sort of person is that? After Christy was kidnapped by Chant in September, she'd spoken to a close friend about what sort of funeral she would like if she died unexpectedly.

Christy envisaged a celebration that would reflect who she was and where people could have fun. Her family selected a bright turquoise-colored casket, as the color was Christy's favorite. They and her friends wrote messages of love on it. Christy's boyfriend helped choose the clothes she would be dressed in. She was laid to rest on Saturday, November 12th, five days after her death. Hundreds of mourners attended, with many having to stand outside in the chapel's car park due to a lack of space. A photo slideshow of Christy set to music screened for 10 minutes. In a book titled Christy, that Tracy later co-authored about her daughter,

she wrote, We had lots of crazy photos that reflected Christy's passion for life, and it was nice to hear people giggle when they saw some of them. Christy would have really liked that. Investigators responsible for Christy's case were confident that Akshay Chant would be convicted of her murder, as well as the earlier charges relating to her kidnapping and assault. He had confessed to both crimes, and offered detailed accounts of how he had carried them out. A trial was scheduled for October the following year,

and initially it seemed as though Chant would be pleading not guilty to all four charges. But what looked like an open and shut case took a drastic turn, when news broke that Chant was changing his play. He was now pleading not guilty by reason of insanity. Chant had been examined by mental health experts multiple times since he first attacked Christy. In those meetings he had admitted to feelings of depression and hopelessness, but firmly denied ever experiencing psychotic symptoms, such as seeing hallucinations or hearing voices.

Following his killing of Christy, Chant's lawyer had her client assessed by one of the country's leading forensic psychiatrists, Dr David Chaplot. While Dr Chaplot was interviewing Chant, he shared a detail that he hadn't mentioned before. In January 2011, Chant had started hearing a female sounding voice in his head. Sometimes it sounded like humming and singing, but other times the voice spoke words to him. It was clearer in the morning than the evening. Chant first came to know the voice as Lorelei, though he later realized that it actually belonged to a girl who had gone to school with in Wales. She was 8 years old, and her name was Pauline.

According to Chant, Pauline was the one who'd told him he had to kill Christy Marceau. She'd said that Christy was possessed by the devil. In the days leading up to Christy's death, Pauline's voice became particularly insistent. He tried to resist her instructions, but eventually came to believe he had to obey her. She also started telling Chant that he had to kill two other people, one of whom was Tracy Marceau. He hadn't told anyone else about the voice in his head, especially not the police, as he believed they were out to get him. Dr. Chaplot interviewed Chant a second time, after he'd started taking an antipsychotic medication.

This time, he told the doctor, I don't hear the voices anymore. Chant had never demonstrated any remorse for killing Christy, but now he acknowledged that living the rest of his life knowing what he'd done to her would be one of his biggest challenges. Dr. Chaplot considered the possibility that Chant could be faking his symptoms in an attempt to get away with murder. Chant was capable of manipulation, as evident in his past actions to receive bail. But the more he interviewed Chant, the more convinced Dr. Chaplot was that he was telling the truth. If anything, Dr. Chaplot suspected Chant had been lying in the

immediate aftermath of killing Christy. He'd claimed to be a cold-hearted murderer, while hiding that he'd been acting on behalf of a voice that he felt spiritually obligated to obey. The various symptoms Chant had been exhibiting for years, like his trouble sleeping, lack of motivation, social withdrawal, and fluctuating weight, were originally seen as symptoms of depression. However, they could also be symptoms of schizophrenia, which Dr. Chaplot believed Chant had. Schizophrenia is a psychiatric illness that typically begins during young adulthood and can cause delusions and hallucinations. Dr. Chaplot also noted that individuals with schizophrenia often experience depression as

well. Once the depression is treated with medication, the schizophrenic symptoms tend to be exposed. Dr. Chaplot concluded that when Chant killed Christy, he was psychotic and completely unaware that he was experiencing auditory hallucinations. Though he knew what he was doing when he killed Christy, the nature of his illness meant he didn't understand that his actions were morally wrong. Dr. Chaplot also believed that Chant hadn't been psychotic during the first attack. He thought it was notable that Chant had changed his mind about raping Christy and let her go. It was likely that his illness was at an earlier stage then and hadn't interfered so severely with his sense of right and wrong.

Chant's attorney sent Dr. Chaplot's report on to the prosecution, who weren't concerned. It wasn't surprising that the defense would take this kind of approach. They had their own expert assess Chant as well and selected the equally renowned psychiatrist Professor Graham Melsopp. His role was to be more skeptical to make sure Chant wasn't faking his symptoms. Professor Melsopp examined reports and other material from the two separate attacks against Christy Marso. He noticed that at the time of the September assault, Akshay Chant had been very clear about how and why he kidnapped Christy. Nothing he mentioned suggested he was experiencing a psychotic episode. But when he spoke to detectives after killing Christy,

he mentioned a female accomplice who would kill again. He hadn't elaborated on this at the time, but he was referring to Pauline, the voice in his head. Professor Melsopp interviewed Chant. He told the professor the same things that he told Dr. Chaplot. Melsopp noticed that Chant sometimes made up words or used existing ones in strange ways, as though he had his own personal definitions for them. He also made note of Chant's extremely flat effect. Statements from people who knew Chant indicated his thinking had been disordered for some time. He'd been obsessively fixated on capitalism, told various people he was suffering from cervical

cancer despite being male, and his conversation was described as sometimes being weird and out of place. All of these were symptoms that were again consistent with schizophrenia. It was noted that Chant's father had battled severe depression as well. There was also a history of mental illness, including schizophrenia on his side of the family. Professor Melsopp came to the same conclusion that Dr. Chaplot had. When Akshay Chant had gone to Christie's house to kill her, he had been legally insane. This was not what the prosecution had wanted to hear. A third and final psychiatrist was consulted just in case, but came back with the exact same finding as the others.

With their own experts agreeing that Chant could not be held legally responsible for Christie's murder, there was no way they could go to trial. Crown solicitor Simon Moore had the difficult task of notifying the Marsos. In the months after Christie's death, Tracy had decided to proceed with her move to Adelaide, a move she'd planned to make with her daughter. There were simply too many painful reminders of Christie at home. Simon Moore flew from Auckland to Adelaide so he could notify Tracy and Brian in person. The couple were devastated to hear that Chant would not be going to trial for killing their daughter. They found it incredibly difficult to believe that Chant had been insane at the time. Tracy had

seen him herself. He'd appeared cold and rational and was able to follow through with a carefully organised plan. It wasn't until they met with Professor Graham Melsopp in person that they began to accept the findings. He explained that it was possible for an individual to carry out pre-planned actions while still suffering from a disease that impacted their moral understanding. Yet, even though the couple came to understand where the experts were coming from, they struggled to agree with them. On September 27, 2012, Akshay Chant pleaded guilty to the charges of kidnapping, assault with intent to commit sexual violation and threatening to do grievous bodily harm.

A month later, he was back in Auckland's High Court for his insanity hearing. The experts who had assessed Chant agreed that he should be detained indefinitely as a special patient. Because he'd been able to carry out a brutal killing and had mentioned wanting to harm others, they believed he posed a real danger to public safety. His chances of recovery were considered low, due in part to his young age at the onset of his disease. Just as Helen Wing-Killman ruled that a special patient order would be made for Akshay Chant, he would be detained indefinitely at the Mason Clinic, a secure unit in Auckland that provides forensic mental health services. The only way he will ever be released is if he's found to no

longer be a danger to the public, an extremely unlikely possibility. Justice Wing-Killman also handed down a sentence for the charges relating to Chant's first assault against Christie. Because Christie wasn't able to share her story for herself, her parents had passed along her diary to Justice Wing-Killman. Tracy and Brian had never read it themselves, but they knew Christie had started keeping it after the attack as a way to process her ordeal. Justice Wing-Killman spoke of the insight the diary had offered into Christie's state of mind, telling Chant, Following that kidnapping, it is clear she continued to be afraid of you. She was frightened

that you would return to harm her family, and that fear only increased on your release. Her journal also makes clear that she regarded her life as having been fundamentally changed by what you did to her. Justice Wing-Killman then sentenced Chant to three years for kidnapping, two years for assault with intent to sexually violate, and one year for threatening to do grievous bodily harm. He would also serve these years at the Mason Clinic. Outside the courthouse, Tracy and Brian Marso addressed the media. Brian fought back tears, as he said. For us, no sentence will ever be sufficient for the loss of Christie. It will never bring her back, or even make us feel that justice has actually been done.

For us, he will always be Christie's murderer. And in our eyes, he will always be guilty. As well as viewing Chant as Christie's murderer, the Marso's couldn't help but blame someone else for their daughter's death. They couldn't comprehend why Judge David McNaughton had approved Chant's bail application against the wishes of the police, their family, and Christie herself. If Chant had been kept in custody following his first violent assault, then he never would have been able to harm Christie again. Much of the New Zealand public shared their concerns. News articles honed in on the fact that Chant had been bailed to a residence just 350 metres from Christie's home,

despite saying he wanted revenge against her. An organisation called the Sensible Sentencing Trust got in touch with the Marso family and helped them campaign to have bail laws amended. This led to the Bail Amendment Act being passed into New Zealand law in 2013. This new act put the onus on defendants to prove they weren't a threat to the community, rather than having the police argue the opposite. In June 2017, almost six years after Akshay Chant killed Christie Marso, an inquest was held into her death to explore the circumstances that resulted in Chant being granted bail. Judge David McNaughton, who has never spoken publicly about his decision,

did not appear as a witness. This was due to New Zealand law preventing judges from being called to give evidence. The inquest took place over 13 days. The coroner handed down a 127-page report in March of the following year. She found that Christie was let down by multiple systemic failures and a lack of collaboration between various departments and agencies. Judge Barbara Morris, the first judge to hear Chant's bail application, had requested that an electronic monitoring assessment be completed for Chant. This involves a suspect being fitted with a GPS monitor, so there were abouts attract at all times. But neither the police prosecutors nor the defense followed up on this request.

Judge Morris had denied bail partially because of how close Chant's home was to Christie's. But Judge David McNaughton had not been told how close the two addresses were to each other. The police prosecutor who attended Chant's second bail hearing had that information, but did not share it with the judge because she felt he was uninterested in police concerns and didn't give her an opportunity to speak. From her point of view, he had already made his mind up in favour of granting bail. Judge McNaughton was also under the impression that Chant's mother, Suchita, his sister, or his aunt would stay with him at all times. Chant's lawyer had mistakenly identified his sister as a university student,

when she was actually a juvenile who was still at school, too young to take on such a role. Judge McNaughton didn't know that Suchita had consistent work commitments, and that his aunt needed to be at home with her own child before school hours. Chant's family said that they had not been told that constant supervision was expected of them. The coroner also found that Chant's initial mental health reviews had been rushed and failed to provide a proper risk assessment. In total, she gave 10 recommendations to the Ministry of Justice, Department of Corrections, the police, and Wighter-Mattard District Health Board in the hopes of preventing a similar tragedy in the future.

Tracy and Brian Marso welcomed the coroner's findings and said the inquest had revealed to them how Christie had been failed in multiple ways. In an interview with Anna Leiske of the New Zealand Herald, Tracy said, There was more than one hand on the knife that day. We're extremely grateful that the coroner's taken this so seriously. Finally, someone's on Christie's side. In a letter she wrote to Christie one year after her death, Tracy revealed that she cried herself to sleep most nights, thinking that she had failed her daughter. Christie's father Brian has also grappled with guilt due to being overseas when his daughter was first kidnapped and later killed. He had considered leaving his job in Australia,

but police had reassured him that Christie would be safe and his family needed the income. In November 2012, the Marso's set up a legacy in their daughter's name, the Christie Marso Charitable Trust. Through fundraising and donations, the trust provides annual scholarships for teenagers to attend a course through Outward Bound. Christie had dreamed of completing one of the organization's outdoor challenge courses, but never had the chance to do so. Tracy, Brian and Christie's sister Heather have all gotten matching tattoos of Christie on their shoulders. As they told journalist Anna Leisk, these symbolize how Christie is always watching their backs. Anna Leisk first interviewed the Marso's just a few months after Christie's

death and formed a strong friendship with them over the following year. She later collaborated with Tracy on a book titled Christie, a family's tragic loss and a mother's fight for justice. For Tracy, the book was a way to immortalize her daughter and tell her story. Tracy's portion of the book concludes with a letter addressed to Christie that ends with the words. The only way I can try to make sense of it is to believe that you were a special person only lent to Worth for a short time to make change and spread good. As much as it is agony that we lost you so soon, I am so glad we were chosen to be your parents because you brought so much joy to us and I learned so much from your beautiful kindness.

I will love you to the end of time and I will use the rest of my time to continue helping people in your name. I know you will be proud of that.