The jury visits spot where Richard Kelvin's body was found, northeast of Adelaide. Richard walked him down the road to the nearby O'Connell Street bus stop, arriving without incident, and waited there for his friend's bus to arrive. There's a conviction in the last murder in the series, but I will include it due to the similarity and due to the man convicted being suspected in the other murders as well. Millhouse would have. But he decided to instead head to a local mall, named Tea Tree Plaza, where Peter and his friends often hung out on the weekends. He was seen in the presence of individuals who would become relevant later on, but - at the time - were simply believed to have been his friends. Police spoke to Alan's friend, who had left him behind on Grand Junction Road. One victim was killed and dumped within 24 hours, another was kept alive for five weeks, and the rest were in between. Stogneff's body had been cut into three pieces in a similar fashion to Muir. That was believed to have been Neil's cause-of-death, same as Alan Barnes. Bevan von Einem was an apex predator. This story would become historic, in more ways than one. Kelvin was held captive for approximately five weeks[24] and a post-mortem examination revealed that he had died of massive blood loss from an anal injury,[25] likely caused by the insertion of a large blunt object. Even though Dr. Peter Millhouse had supposedly known Neil Muir for several years, there was never any proof that the two had a sexual relationship. Show True Crime Conversations, Ep The Family Murders Of Adelaide - 10 Nov 2021. The Family Murders is a well known and notorious series of crimes that occurred in Adelaide, Australia. Suspect 3, an Eastern Suburbs doctor. Neil Muir's body had been so badly mutilated that he still barely resembled an entire being. Some were involved in the abduction of victims who were murdered, some were involved in the rape of murdered victims, and some were involved in murder. It's 1983, and a 15-year-old boy named Richard Kelvin is in a laneway in North Adelaide. It had been reported that Richard was wearing the collar as a joke on the afternoon he went missing, while he was kicking around the soccer ball in the park with his dad and his friend, Boris. Perhaps the most amazing thing about the case is how did von Einem find accomplices willing to be involved in such crimes? The father of boat crash victim Mallory Beach refused to shake hands with Alex Murdaugh 's family in court after the legal scion was sentenced to life in prison for the murders of his wife and son . So the police began reaching out to people that worked or had otherwise been in the area. He consented to any available tests or analysis, and during a medical screening, it was discovered that the young man did have tears in his anus, proving that he had been raped. Darko's brother dropped them at a bus stop near the corner of on Grand Junction Rd and Addison Neil Muir was last seen in Hindley St, Adelaide in the company of Dr Peter Leslie Millhouse at 3pm on the day he was murdered. This notoriety brought with it a poor reputation, however, and by the late 1970s, Mandrax had become a regulated prescription drug throughout Australia. Police believe this murder is associated with other high profile murders commonly referred to in the media as the 'Family Murders'. The bags looked as if they had been dropped from the higher-up wharf, just like the body of Alan Barnes had been. The medical examiners conducting the autopsy and examinations also discovered that Alan's body had been washed extensively after his death; likely an effort to scrub away any evidence linking him to the killer. [20] His mutilated body was found in scrub in the Adelaide foothills nine days after his disappearance. A thrash metal band singer and members of his family were killed in an apparent murder-suicide late last month, according to police. After all, three of the victims (Alan Barnes, Neil Muir, and Mark Langley) had all died of similar injuries, and at least three (Alan Barnes, Mark Langley, and now Richard Kelvin) had all gone missing on Sundays. If you recall, M.E. It's 1983, and a 15-year-old boy named Richard Kelvin is in a laneway in North Adelaide. Hundreds of sordid and terrifying crimes and only one man found guilty in relation to only one victim. Gay people (in particular, gay men) began to become more comfortable in their own skin, and no longer had to suppress their sexuality in public. Rather than have to read the whole site, or miss updates in the case because you dont know they exist, this section will show time-stamped updates so you can keep up to date with developments. The Family Murders is the name given to a series of five murders speculated to have been committed by a loosely connected group of individuals who came to be known as "The Family". Apart from von Einem, three other core members are thought to be directly involved in the murders; while DNA testing re-commenced in 2008, no further charges have been laid. Boris left on a bus, and Richard started making his way back home a trip that was no more than four-hundred meters. This triggered a recurrence of his on-again/off-again bout with alcoholism, and within a week, he had checked himself into the Osmond House rehabilitation center but not before consulting with his attorney for any potential legal ramifications. Allegations would even surface that indicated Dr. Millhouse had been one of the people in the area that supplied Neil with prescription drugs, but that would remain an allegation for the foreseeable future. Major Crimes was primarily responsible for serial killings, mass killings, and any other high-profile crimes that the local government wanted to be handled by a specialized task force. Bob O'Brien was an investigator for Major Crimes, who had just started working with the unit the year prior (1982). The victims ranged in age from 14 to 25, and most were found to have suffered brutal violence, sexual assaults, and/or body mutilation before their death Any person complicit in the abduction, rape and murders of the five victims, plus any person who visited the place of captivity when a victim was knowingly present, plus any person involved in the abduction, spiking and raping of teenage boys or young men with other members of The Family. The name of the group stems from an interview a police detective gave on 60 Minutes, claiming the police were taking action to break up the happy family. Rumours of high-society involvement and cover-ups. While working for Major Crimes, Investigator O'Brien received an anonymous tip that Richard Kelvin was being held against his will in a caravan in the Adelaide Foothills. Over time Trevor kept diary records of his conversations with that suspect as well as another suspect. The Family werent an official club or group, rather a loose collection of people with Bevan von Einem at the centre. However, they were able to learn that - before his body was burned in the brush fire - his remains had been cut into multiple parts with a saw. Peter Stogneff. Alan and his friend bid adieu to one another, with his friend assured that Alan would be okay; Grand Junction Road was always busy and teeming with life, and it wasn't like he was leaving Alan in the middle of the night. Mark Langley was an 18-year-old with the entire world in front of him: an athletic and good-looking young man, who quickly endeared himself to others. His body had been dissected into parts, with his internal organs carved out and missing, replaced by his lower legs and arms, which had been sawed off and placed inside of his hollowed-out chest cavity. This screening also revealed that the young man had been drugged with Mandrax ("Randy Mandys"), which had resulted in him losing consciousness. The "Family Murders" *Warning: graphic content and mentions of sexual abuse ahead. The Family Murders Of Adelaide. A short time later, police were contacted and later arrived at the scene to document the grisly find. POLICE are investigating new information linking convicted killer Bevan Spencer von Einem to the abduction and murder of teenager Alan Barnes. Because Mark had been killed and his body been dumped in the Australian summer months, his remains had already suffered some serious decomposition by the time police were called to the scene. It was this rapport that caused Peter to skip school on Thursday, August 27th, 1981. Alan was supposed to find a ride back home and was taking his luck hitchhiking, hoping that someone willing to pick him up would be heading north towards his family's neighborhood of Salisbury. When Dr. Millhouse's trial eventually commenced in the latter half of 1980 - more than a year after Neil Muir's murder - the prosecution continued to rely heavily upon their circumstantial evidence and witness statements, failing to establish any motive for the crime or provide any definitive evidence. Trace evidence, including hair and fibres from von Einem's home, was found on Kelvin's body and clothing. Medical examiners and investigators began to theorize about the rationale for the surgical scar, and the most plausible one to-date is perhaps one of the worst to imagine. As the 1970s entered their homestretch, Alan was beginning to enter the phase of his life where he experimented with drug and alcohol usage. He was also found to be wearing clothing that did not belong to him, and his original clothing was missing entirely. Like the other victims, Richard Kelvin's blood and organs were tested for any sign of drugs, with investigators hoping to find a connection to any of the prior victims. Both witnesses - who were friends with Neil and drug users themselves - were prepared to testify should this man be tried for the murder. Several eyewitnesses remembered seeing Alan and his long, blond hair standing along Grand Junction Road that Sunday. Nine days after Mark Langley went missing, his body was discovered in the Adelaide Foothills, close to Mount Lofty in the area known as Summertown. This website was built on publicly available information contributed by many people who have an interest in this case. This was cancelled the night before. While in rehab, Dr. Millhouse refused to speak to police about Neil Muir (or his alleged relationship with the man). Five young men who were drugged, viciously raped and tortured, kept captive for up to five weeks, horrifically mutilated, and ultimately murdered. Neil Muir was last seen in Hindley St, Adelaide in the company of Dr Peter Leslie Millhouse at 3pm on the day he was murdered. The very next day - August 28th, 1979 - a couple of fishermen were heading out to the Port Adelaide River, on what was supposed to be a regular workday for them. Some of the victims were brutally tortured, or horrifically mutilated or cut up. It is estimated that over 150 youths and young men were abducted, drugged, and then raped. Over the next few days, it became apparent that Alan Barnes was not returning home. Due to changes in the Forensic Procedures Act, which later allowed DNA samples to be taken from suspects in major indictable offences, all the suspects voluntarily submitted to DNA testing. [15] A post-mortem examination revealed that Muir had died of massive blood loss from an anal injury, likely caused by the insertion of a large blunt object[16] and Noctec was found in his blood. But other than that, this friend had nothing new to offer police: he hadn't seen or heard from Alan since the two went their separate ways. So they tried to safely guard the parts of the investigation that they could. However, when Neil Muir's body was discovered, his internal organs had been removed and were gone entirely, leading to police being unable to test his blood levels. Between 1979 and 1983, a series of heinous murders shocked Adelaide. He had seemingly disappeared, and a brief search of the area failed to come up with him. The periphery of The Family is a grey area. His body had been severely mutilated and dumped in the South Para Reservoir, northeast of Adelaide. A few more anonymous calls would be received in the coming weeks. Players - The Family Murders Players Five murdered young men, over 150 violent abduction drug-rapes, two people arrested, one person found guilty. [16][22] The sedative-hypnotic drug Mandrax, popular in the 1970s disco scene, was found in Langley's blood. Add onto that abductions, drug-lacing, mutilations, victims held in captivity for weeks, and death by sado-masochism. Murdered victims were kept in captivity by the Family for up to five weeks. Mark Andrew Langley RICHARD KELVIN Richard Kelvin, aged 15 years, was abducted at about 6.15 p.m. on Sunday 5 June 1983 from a laneway off Ward Street, North Adelaide. Meanwhile, the mutilation of Neil Muir's body seemed to be identical to that perpetrated upon Peter Stogneff's remains, whose limbs had been similarly severed with a saw-like device. 17-year-old Alan Barnes, 25-year-old Neil Muir, 14-year-old Peter Stogneff, 18-year-old Mark Langley and 15-year-old Richard Kelvin were later found dumped in the Adelaide Hills and surrounds. [14] The hair around the area had been shaved as it would have been in an operation in a hospital. This conflict has endured because Alan's bloodstream also showed signs of alcohol consumption, which Alan had participated in that same weekend. He had good grades at school, was well-liked by just about everyone, had a stable of trusted friends, and played soccer for a local Lockley club on the weekends. [6] Von Einem was also one of the last people seen with a fourth victim, Muir, following his abduction. Hundreds of sordid and terrifying crimes and only one man found guilty in relation to only one victim. Four of the five murders remain unsolved. He had been killed elsewhere and then transported to this location postmortem, implying that the killer had a base of operations for his or her dark deeds. [14][15] Skin bearing tattoos had been removed and most of the body parts were placed in another garbage bag before being placed within the abdominal cavity. Meanwhile, as police struggled to answer these basic questions, the trial against Dr. Peter Millhouse remained a thing of the past. In the days after Neil Muir's body was discovered in separate black trash bags, police had received two separate phone calls alerting them to the victim's relationship with a local doctor. But now, they needed to find a suspect. The name of the group stems from an interview a police detective gave on 60 Minutes,[1] claiming the police were taking action "to break up the happy family". This ultimately resulted in a victory for Dr. Peter Millhouse's attorneys, earning the man an acquittal and his freedom. [8] The reward carried an offer of immunity to accomplices, dependent on their level of involvement. It wasn't until the next day, Sunday (February 28th), that Mark's parents began to grow concerned. Police got the number one offender. [7] Suspect 1, an Eastern Suburbs businessman, is believed to have been with von Einem when Kelvin was abducted. The information is easy to navigate and easy reference. Despite there being an overwhelming lack of physical evidence, police decided to pursue charges against Dr. Millhouse anyways, using the rope and trash bags recovered from his home as their primary building block. Neil Muir had suffered the same type of anal injuries as Alan, implying that a large, bottle-shaped object had been used to intentionally injure him, which caused a large amount of blood loss. Likely, he was one of the people seen hanging out with Neil at the bars and clubs just days that weekend. Just two days after the body of Alan Barnes was discovered - when the investigation was still unfolding - an anonymous caller reached out to police. There were signs that he had been tortured and beaten by a sexual sadist, who had likely kept Alan drugged with a chemical compound named chloral hydrate. These details made it clear to police that this mutilation was not done simply for the killer's ease-of-mind, but indicated that they were a particularly savage killer that had likely committed similar crimes in the past. The next day was a Sunday, they both planned to hitchhike to Alan's home in Salisbury. The Family Murders is a well known and notorious series of crimes that occurred in Adelaide, Australia. He found like minded people who shared a similar sexual bent, and he found people he could mutually exploit to lure victims into his car. When Boris had last seen Richard, walking away from the bus stop down the street from his home, he had still been wearing the collar, and it is has been theorized that the collar itself might have been a trigger for the deviant (or deviants) that ultimately decided to abduct Richard. Alan lived with his parents, both English immigrants, in Salisbury: a northern suburb of Adelaide. Once known as the "City of Churches," Adelaide began going through a stark progression in the 1960s. It was at around this time - the end of August - that Investigator Rod Hunter finally got around to interviewing Bevan Spencer von Einem, the man implicated by an anonymous caller in the murder of Alan Barnes. Police didn't believe that this voice was Richard, as he was a teenager with a deep voice that had already cracked. The post-mortem revealed that Langley had died from a massive loss of blood from gross injuries to his anus, similar to Barnes. According to his family, this was right in-line with Richard's odd sense of humor. The following morning, however, is a different story. Dylan John Kovarskis murdered Nathan Russell in 2021 . Witnesses would later recall having seen the two at some of the area's gay bars and clubs (which I referenced just a moment ago). [14][24] His body was found on 24 July by a geologist who was searching for moss-covered rocks near a dirt airstrip at Kersbrook. They knew then that the description of the remains - should it become public knowledge - would alert a lot of media to the story and scare a lot of people. Of the five men that fell prey to this violent killer, at least two had been drugged with Mandrax, as had George. The death of George Duncan would serve as a catalyst, eventually martyring Duncan himself and leading to repeals of South Australia's harsh anti-homosexuality laws. Neil's penis had been cut, and he was missing a testicle at the time of discovery. He had become so messed up on drugs and alcohol that a bouncer had to physically drag him outside of a bar, where he stumbled onto the pavement and struggled to get up. Because of this lack of clarity, police were unable to press forward with any charges for the offenders, and George's story would become buried by more pressing police concerns in the coming weeks and months. Ian and Paula, Mark's friends, drove away but would return just minutes later, cooler heads having prevailed. See what they say here. On the final weekend of August 1979, Neil was spotted at both the Duke of York and Buckingham Arms ("The Buck"), two local gay bars that I referenced at the top of the episode. Just like Neil Muir, whoever had taken him had killed him and dumped his body pretty quickly, within a day or two. Mark Langley A farmer that lived nearby Middle Beach and Two Wells, roughly an hour north of Adelaide, had been cleansing his farmland during the advised winter months. Unfortunately, Richard Kelvin would never make it home. Unfortunately, by the time they returned, Mark was nowhere to be found. by enjin | Feb 12, 2021 . The Family Murders is the name given to the murders of five young men and boys between 1979 and 1983, with all abducted from the streets of Adelaide before being taken to another location,. Neil's remains were brought in and carefully examined by the area's medical examiners, who quickly discovered an alarming red flag, which harkened back to the discovery of Alan Barnes' corpse. Because of this prime location, Adelaide has become one of the country's most populated areas, and more than a million Australians live in the city itself; which is split in half by the Torrens River, which runs through the center of Adelaide. Peter Stogneff was a fourteen-year-old that lived with his family in a middle-class home, in a northeastern suburb of Adelaide. This site is constantly being updated as more is learned. Mr B made contact with police two days after Alan Barnes was found. If your information is verified and its not breaking any laws, we may publish it. A man who donned a balaclava and stormed a man's Adelaide CBD unit, stabbing him within nine seconds, will spend 20 years behind bars. It wasn't until the following year, 1983, that police finally rediscovered George's story. However, they quickly began to narrow in on the one avenue of the investigation that seemed most enticing to them at the time: Neil's dependency on drugs and alcohol. The following Sunday, June 24th - one week after Alan had last been seen alive - a couple of hikers were bushwalking up in the area known as the Adelaide Foothills. This witness recalled Alan getting into a vehicle, which appeared to be a white Holden sedan. Richard's family disputed this, vigorously denying the notion that Richard would have run away of his own accord. von Einem is serving life imprisonment. Mandrax was quickly gaining notoriety as a drug used in the commission of date-rape crimes, and the local government decided that the best way to combat their usage was to keep them regulated so that they had a record of everyone that was prescribed them. 's had discovered the chemical compound chloral hydrate in the system of Alan Barnes, who also had an above-average level of alcohol in his system: roughly four times the legal limit, which was unusually high for a teenager.

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