One of New Zealand's youngest convicted murderers will be released from prison on December 20.
Hermanus Theodorus Kriel, known as Theo, was convicted in 2010 of the 2008 murder and indecent assault of Liberty Templeman.
It was a case that rocked Kerikeri, where the pair had been classmates at high school before Liberty had moved south with her parents to Auckland.
She loved drama and wanted to be an actress. She was just 15, he was 14.
Liberty was visiting friends for a weekend in the Northland town when she went missing.
Her body was found five days later - Kriel assaulted and strangled her before leaving her unconscious in a stream to drown.
Before police found her, Kriel had joined in the search.
The Parole Board decision noted that they know Liberty's family "will not" welcome the news.
"They do not think that Mr Kriel has been properly risk-based rehabilitated. They do not think he has been honest about the offending, and they believe that he is an inherently violent person."
Signed by the board's chairman Sir Ron Young, the decision also said that a psychologist's report noted that Kriel had no cognitive distortions about his offending, or subsequently.
It further described how Kriel has been undergoing "reintergrative testing" and had been working outside of prison.
It said Kriel would need help to develop relationships given he not had a chance to develop any adult ones.
The board said it was satisfied he is no longer an undue risk.
"In saying that, we acknowledge that there remains uncertainty about the circumstances under which he came to kill his victim. There may well have been a direct sexual aspect. There is some evidence that at school he had bullied others from time to time.
"However, we also see evidence of 15 years of good behaviour in prison. We see no sign at all of any antisocial personality issues."
There are also particular parole conditions including not going into a defined area in Christchurch, not to go north of the Bombay Hills in Auckland, not to enter any Rock Shop retail outlet, electronic monitoring and not to use alcohol or drugs.
Kriel will also have to disclose "at the earliest opportunity, details of any intimate relationship which commences, resumes or terminates".
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