Her boyfriend’s strangler Zariah Samson was caught driving under the influence of alcohol three months out of prison

A woman who strangled her boyfriend to death was caught driving under the influence of alcohol three months after being released from prison, a court has heard.

Zariah Jae Samson, 28, was jailed for six years and three months for the involuntary manslaughter of Cory James Protos, 30, in Christchurch and served most of her sentence before being granted parole, she heard yesterday. Dunedin District Court.

In June, the board allowed her release under a series of conditions that would last six months while the mother of three adjusted to life in the community.

Among them, there was a curfew from 10 pm to 6 am for the first three months and the prohibition of the consumption of alcohol and non-prescription drugs.

On September 12, Corrections was alerted to the fact that Samson had left his home at 10.50 p.m.

Five minutes later, police stopped her on Bank Rd and admitted to drinking four RTDs.

It gave a breath alcohol reading of 551 mcg, more than double the legal limit.

The May 2014 murder was allegedly triggered because Samson, then 22, believed Protos was spreading rumors about her.

She began a brutal attack, stripping off his bloody clothing and binding his hands behind his back, before covering him with a blanket and sporadically hitting and kicking him for the next four hours.

Later, the couple drove to Samson’s house, where she allowed him to shower, but the argument flared up.

She inflicted a superficial wound on Protos’s neck and then proceeded to strangle him with a computer cable, wrapped around his neck three times.

That night, Samson texted an associate saying he was “cleaning up my mess” and requested cleaning supplies and gasoline.

She was originally charged with murder, but ultimately pleaded guilty to a reduced count of murder.

Protos’ parents, Gail and Jimmy, were devastated that the murder charge against Samson was dropped.

Judge John Macdonald yesterday sentenced Samson, on one count of driving under the influence and two counts of non-compliance with the conditions of release, to six months of supervision (to begin in late January, when his conditions of release expired) .

He disqualified her from driving for six months.

The judge rejected a request from the Otago Daily Times to photograph the defendant because she had three young children.