The Murder of Karla Cardno

Karla Cardno was 13 years old when she was abducted in Lower Hutt in May 1989. Her disappearance led to a major police investigation and an extensive public search. The inquiry eventually identified Paul Joseph Dally as the offender.

The investigation

Police traced evidence connecting Dally to Karla's disappearance and death. The criminal case established that he had kidnapped and murdered her. Because the offence involved a child and severe violence, later reporting has often described the case as one of New Zealand's most notorious murders.

For this archive, the essential legal fact is straightforward: Dally was convicted of Karla Cardno's murder and received a life sentence. The page does not reproduce unnecessary details of the violence.

Life sentence

Dally was sentenced to life imprisonment on 8 March 1990. Over the following decades he appeared repeatedly before the New Zealand Parole Board. Release from a life sentence is not automatic; the Board must be satisfied that an offender would not pose an undue risk to community safety.

Parole decisions over many years repeatedly kept Dally in custody while rehabilitation and reintegration were assessed.

Parole decisions in 2025

An official Parole Board decision from April 2025 recorded that Dally was still serving the life sentence for Karla's murder and was living in a self-care unit at Auckland South Corrections Facility while reintegration work continued. RNZ subsequently reported further parole refusals during 2025.

In October 2025, RNZ reported that parole had again been declined because the Board wanted a stronger release and safety plan. As of this review, no later public decision establishing his release has been identified, so the documented status remains that he is in custody.