Serial killers you've known

[Dry Rot]

Thoroughly enjoyed Robert Drewe's "The Shark Net" on the ABC on the past 3 Sunday nights.

Now don't get me wrong - I hate 'rite of passage' films and teenage bonking/partying stories, and a lot of "the Shark Net" was about this.

No, I enjoyed the story of Eric Cooke, Western Australia's worst serial killer, and the fact that Drewe (and his father) knew him.

Have you ever known a serial killer, or had one operating in your neck of the woods?

And one for our WA posters: Do your parents of grand parents remember the Cooke saga, and any personal stories?

 

[Portia]

Originally posted by Dry Rot
Have you ever known a serial killer, or had one operating in your neck of the woods?

I'm a South Australian so there's a good chance I am one.

 

[Magpira]

Re: Re: Serial killers you've known

Originally posted by Porthos
I'm a South Australian so there's a good chance I am one.

HAHA! Pay that!

 

[Diego]

Originally posted by Dry Rot
Have you ever known a serial killer, or had one operating in your neck of the woods?

yeah had lunch with one the other day. He kinda looked at me funny when I told him I was a vegetarian.

 

[Mead]

Originally posted by Dry Rot
Thoroughly enjoyed Robert Drewe's "The Shark Net" on the ABC on the past 3 Sunday nights.

Now don't get me wrong - I hate 'rite of passage' films and teenage bonking/partying stories, and a lot of "the Shark Net" was about this.

No, I enjoyed the story of Eric Cooke, Western Australia's worst serial killer, and the fact that Drewe (and his father) knew him.

Have you ever known a serial killer, or had one operating in your neck of the woods?

And one for our WA posters: Do your parents of grand parents remember the Cooke saga, and any personal stories?

The sister of a mate of my dad's was one of the victims, or so I've heard.

A lot of old people like to rant about how Cooke and another series of killings (the Birnies) totally changed the culture of Perth- prior to that it was supposedly a big, friendly country town, where people left their doors unlocked and hitchhiked at will- but after those two sets of killings, the entire attitude of Perth changed. I'd be interested if anyone who was around at that time would agree with that?



On an interesting note, it has often been suggested that Francis Dolarhyde, the serial killer in 'Red Dragon' (the book and movie), is based on Cooke- both having a harelip, and going for the home invasion in the middle of the night with a gun..

 

[Dry Rot]

Re: Re: Serial killers you've known

Originally posted by Mead
The sister of a mate of my dad's was one of the victims, or so I've heard.

On an interesting note, it has often been suggested that Francis Dolarhyde, the serial killer in 'Red Dragon' (the book and movie), is based on Cooke- both having a harelip, and going for the home invasion in the middle of the night with a gun..

Anyone know how many Cooke actually knocked off? A few innocents went down for his crimes.

From memory Mead you're from WA - my mum comes from there. Watching Drewe's friend being gunned down in the sleepout (is that what you call them?) was spooky, as I've slept in one at my granfather's at Nedlands, where Cooke nailed a few.

 

[bunsen burner]

I knew one of the girls who got abducted and held as a sex slave for weeks (then murdered) by the Byrnies. They were sick.

 

[Leaping Lindner]

I knew one of the Truro victims. Also one of "The Family" victims.
Was on Glenelg beach the day the Beaumonts disappeared(don't remember but mum sure does). Mind you so were thousands of other south australians.

 

[bunsen burner]

I also heard about a family who lived in Nedlands who called the police becaue Cooke was in their house. He escaped and after checking the place out, the police left. The family had locked up and gone to bed. They had fallen asleep when all of a sudden they heard this noise and crash. He had been hiding on the roof for a few hours and made a huge noise when he got down and fled.

 

[bunsen burner]

I remember the 'Family'. They were meant to be a group of high profile SA professionals who were drugging mid to late teenage boys, raping them and killing them. I think the police knew all their names (women involved as well) but never got enough evidence to press charges.

What ever happened of that? Did the names get released?

 

[Dry Rot]

Originally posted by bunsen burner
I remember the 'Family'. They were meant to be a group of high profile SA professionals who were drugging mid to late teenage boys, raping them and killing them. I think the police knew all their names (women involved as well) but never got enough evidence to press charges.

What ever happened of that? Did the names get released?

Snowtown aside, is South Australia the home of weird murders?

 

[Leaping Lindner]

Originally posted by bunsen burner
I remember the 'Family'. They were meant to be a group of high profile SA professionals who were drugging mid to late teenage boys, raping them and killing them. I think the police knew all their names (women involved as well) but never got enough evidence to press charges.

What ever happened of that? Did the names get released?

Only one guy (Bevan Spencer VonEinem) has ever being charged with any of the murders (7 in total) and done serious time. He has been officially charged with two of the murders (Kelvin and Barnes) and is currently doing a lenghty stretch in Yatala. He has a NPP of 30 years (from memory) but I seriously doubt he'll ever get out.
There have been many rumours about who is involved. These have ranged from a high court judge and an ex-premier (complete B/S by the way in their cases). Anyone high up in South Australia who was gay (or suspected of being so) was probably rumoured at some stage to be involved.
There was also rumours of Police cover up and vital evidence 'disappearing'.
A few years back (just before I left SA to live in Vic) John Seruto(sp?) an acquaintance of the ex-premier was writing a book that promised to blow the lid off the whole thing. He was found dead from a heroin overdose (after being off heroin for many months) the day before it was due to published.Most likely it was a "hot shot". SA police confiscated any copies they could find of the book including the original computer disk.
There is an interesting book out about it - In Cold Blood - which was written by one of the cops who worked on the case from start from finish.
Personally I doubt it will be solved in my lifetime and whilst I don't question VonEinem's guilt I still tend to think he is something of a fall guy.

 

[Milkman]

My aunt reckons she sat next to Martin Bryant on the train once, and they had a friendly chat. She's pretty spooked by it.

 

[Captain Sensible]

Originally posted by Dry Rot
.

Have you ever known a serial killer, or had one operating in your neck of the woods?

To the best of my knowledge I have never known a serial killer but a friend of mine and her boyfriend were abducted and killed by Ivan Milat.

 

[Joel]

I can't remember the name of the guy off hand, and I didn't know him, and I don't even know if he was a serial killer. BUT, does anyone remember Sharee Beasley? The girl the dissapeared while going to the shops in Rosebud, Vic? She was eventually found down a drain, murdered.

Well the day she dissapeared, I was playing putt putt mini golf about 50-100 metres down the road from where she was taken, and at the same time of the day she was taken. Spooky.

 

[Dry Rot]

Originally posted by Joel


Well the day she dissapeared, I was playing putt putt mini golf about 50-100 metres down the road from where she was taken, and at the same time of the day she was taken. Spooky.

That may have been what you told the detectives, but what really happened?

 

[Magpira]

Originally posted by Joel
does anyone remember Sharee Beasley? The girl the dissapeared while going to the shops in Rosebud, Vic? She was eventually found down a drain, murdered.

I think she was a victim of Mr Cruel?

 

[Mooster7]

We had a serial killer in my jurisdiction. I never met him, but I met his victims somewhat. He would kill people, stuff them into barrels, and store them on various properties that he owned. Eventually he was found out.

The barrels and the victims were taken to the county crime investigation laboratory which happens to share the building with my station. If you want to know how this smells, stick your nose up the ass of some road kill on a hot Summer day.

Anyway, our building has one central heating and air conditioning system. The smell from these bodies/barrels got into the system and into the vents. For well over a week, the whole building smelled of corpse-rot. We all lost weight during that period.



Peace,

 

[BeCcA]

Originally posted by Joel
I can't remember the name of the guy off hand, and I didn't know him, and I don't even know if he was a serial killer. BUT, does anyone remember Sharee Beasley? The girl the dissapeared while going to the shops in Rosebud, Vic? She was eventually found down a drain, murdered.

Well the day she dissapeared, I was playing putt putt mini golf about 50-100 metres down the road from where she was taken, and at the same time of the day she was taken. Spooky.

My Dads friend used to live across the road from her!

 

[Da Bomberman]

Well, Mark Moran and his nephew bought our old house, and my mum and dad spoke to them, thats about it. Oh and I'm not sure but my dads friends friend is friends with some other dude...

 

[Mikki]

Re: Re: Re: Serial killers you've known

Originally posted by Dry Rot
Anyone know how many Cooke actually knocked off? A few innocents went down for his crimes.

I just read the book on Eric Edgar Cooke. Cooke actually killed about 8 people overall and seriously injured quite a few others as well.
Two dudes did time for two of the people he killed. There was some mute guy Beamish or something and John Button. Even when Cooke admitted to killing the two girls, the cops didn't believe him and Beamish and Button had to do their time. But last year or something there was a retrial so Button could clear his name and he won.
I wish they would do a movie or mini series or whatever on this actual book, because that would be really interesting.

 

[mandy]

Was that "Broken Lives" you read about Cooke? I've read that too. Good read, but what a monster.

Sheree Beasley was taken by Robert Lowe, not Mr Cruel. Mr Cruel has never been caught, but is believed to be responsible for the Karmain Chang murder. (I've read those books too)

I grew up in Richmond and had a bit to do with people surrounding Dennis Allen (Doctor Death) and his family. (some charged with the Walsh Street shootings). Can't say they were model citizens, but weren't too bad to me at the time. It's not since I've grown up and started reading any true crime book I can get my hands on that it gets kinda freaky to imagine I used to drink in the same circles as them.

 

[Captain Sensible]

Originally posted by Joel
I can't remember the name of the guy off hand, and I didn't know him, and I don't even know if he was a serial killer. BUT, does anyone remember Sharee Beasley? The girl the dissapeared while going to the shops in Rosebud, Vic? She was eventually found down a drain, murdered.

Well the day she dissapeared, I was playing putt putt mini golf about 50-100 metres down the road from where she was taken, and at the same time of the day she was taken. Spooky.

Wasnt that Raymond Edmonds?

 

[Pedro]

Originally posted by localyokel
Wasnt that Raymond Edmonds?

Raymond Edmunds was Mr.Stinky, in jail for rapes in the south and south eastern suburbs of Melbourne, as well as the murder of two teenagers around Shepparton somewhere in the late 60's I think it was.

 

[Zeke]

I lived about 2 mins walk from Martin Bryant's house. We used to see him a fair bit hanging around in the park - he offered to push my girlfriend on the swing once... She said no thanks and we left.