True crime account of the Australian serial killer Paul Denyer

This captivating account of the Tynong and North Frankston serial killings has been written by Brian Williams to mark the 40 anniversary of the murders. On 6th December 1980, the skeletal remains of three female murder victims were uncovered ritualistically concealed in the bushland that abuts Brew Road in Tynong North, a previously non-descript rural area 63 kilometres to the east of Melbourne. These unfortunate victims - 14-year-old Catherine Headland, 18-year-old Ann-Marie Sargent and 73-year-old Bertha Miller had all mysteriously disappeared in broad daylight several months earlier, all whilst waiting at or near suburban bus stops in Melbourne's south-east. These murders were soon linked to two other disappearances, that of 59-year-old Allison Rooke and 55-year-old Joy Summers. Both these women had also recently vanished from nearby bus stops in the outer south-east beachside suburb of Frankston, before their naked and decomposing bodies were found concealed in scrubland next to busy roads in the same area. To complete the ghastly picture, the body of 34-year-old Narumol Stephenson - who had also randomly disappeared in 1980 - was later uncovered at the same Tynong North burial ground used to dump the bodies of three of the previous victims. In recent times, another murder - that of Margaret Elliott in 1975 - has also been linked to the same crimes. Her body was found concealed near a suburban creek, next to the same path used by Bertha Miller to walk to her local bus stop. To date, the opportunistic and devious person (or persons) responsible for this string of ghastly murders of innocent women and girls has evaded capture. With a known body count of at least 6-7 victims, these hideous crimes not only represent one of the most chilling examples of serial killing in Australian history, but have also become one of the nation's greatest criminal mysteries. During nearly four decades of extensive investigations, police have established several major taskforces, conducted over 2000 official interviews, and publicly identified a number of suspects. Over the years, the case has also taken a remarkable number of twists and turns. Many urban myths and curious links have evolved - at one point it was even suggested that a man was dressing as a woman to lure unsuspecting women into a car. It was also suspected that the killer had sent correspondence to authorities, and a Christmas card to the family of one of the victims, in which hints about the crimes were alluded to and boasts were made that these crimes would eventually make Adelaide's Truro murders 'look like kid stu '. There is still a clear optimism that these outrageous crimes can still be solved. A record $6 million reward has even been posted to help catch the killer(s). Clearly, somebody still knows something - and it is now time for the full story to be told.

Since its first publication in 2000, Australia's Serial Killers has become a true crime classic. This edition is fully updated, bringing all the cases covered up to the minute. A recognised authority on Australia's most notorious criminals, Paul B. Kidd covers in unwavering detail 33 true stories of serial murder. In this gallery of infamy are world renowned killers the likes of the Night Caller, The Granny Killer, Ivan Milat, Kathleen Folbigg and the Snowtown murderers. Sixteen years in the researching, this comprehensive and ambitious work includes psychological opinions, court-room trials, detailed confessions, and exclusive prison interviews with three of Australia's most infamous serial killers.

Once a copper, always a copper. At least that’s how it seems for Brian ‘The Skull’ Murphy, long-retired but sought out by a trail of journalists and cops who regularly beat a path to his door. Once known as Australia’s toughest cop, The Skull was both charged with manslaughter (and acquitted), then awarded a Valour Award for bravery in the line of duty. It is these two sides to the complex man that intrigue audiences to this day. A non-drinking, Catholic family man, The Skull didn’t fit the 1950s police mould and often found himself on the outer among his colleagues. Dodging crooks and corruption on both sides of the thin blue line, The Skull carefully cultivated a reputation for being a ‘mad bastard’. Over 40 men felt the sting of his bullets, and many more felt the sting of his fists. But behind Australia’s toughest cop lay a personal secret of sexual abuse which Murphy shares publicly for the first time, in the hope that it will help others. This abuse formed the kind of police officer he later became — tough on the bad guys, but fiercely protective towards victims. With today’s political correctness and strict rules of conduct, there will never be another big personality copper like Brian ‘The Skull’ Murphy. This is his story.

CSI Told You Lies is a gripping account of the work of the forensic scientists on the frontline of Australia’s major crime and disaster investigations. They are part of the team at the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine (VIFM), a state-of-the-art facility in Melbourne. VIFM is a world-renowned centre of forensic science, and its team members have led major recovery operations over the years, from the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami to the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires to the shooting down of flight MH17 over Ukraine in 2014. VIFM forensics experts have also played pivotal roles in some of Australia’s highest-profile homicide cases, including the Frankston Serial Killer, the murders of Eurydice Dixon and Aya Maasarwe, and the arrest of convicted serial killer Peter Dupas. Join Meshel Laurie as she goes ‘behind the curtain’ at VIFM, interviewing the Institute’s talented roster of forensic experts about their daily work. Her subjects also include others touched by Australia’s major crime and disaster investigations, including homicide detectives, defence barristers and families of victims as they confront their darkest moments. After reading CSI Told You Lies you’ll never read another homicide headline without wondering about the forensic pathologist who happened to be on call, the evidence they found and the truth they uncovered.

Twenty-five years ago, serial killer Paul Denyer terrorised the bayside suburb of Frankston.Twenty-five years later, the trauma of his seven-week killing spree still haunts the community. The spate of murders in 1993 touched many more lives than just the three victims. All of Melbourne was gripped with fear, as Frankston and surrounding suburbs were flooded with police hunting the serial killer of three young women. It began on June 11 when Elizabeth Stevens was murdered on her way home from the library. On July 8, Debbie Fream who'd left her 12-day-old baby with a friend while she dashed out for milk, was abducted and killed. Three weeks later, Year 12 student, Natalie Russell, was brutally murdered on her way home from school. When Paul Denyer, an odd young man, was arrested the day after Natalie's body was found, the police and public were shocked by his lack of emotion. Denyer, who was only 21-years-old, spoke of the three young women with contempt as he described their final moments. Their deaths had simply fuelled his bloodlust. Eleven years later, just as the public's memory of the Frankston murders began to fade, convicted serial killer, Paul Denyer, made front-page news with his quest to become a woman. The Frankston Murders: 25 years on details the shocking crimes and explores the lingering effects of what Denyer did. Now 25-years-old, Debbie Fream's son Jake speaks for the first time about the loss of his mother. And Carmel and Brian Russell share their dream for Denyer's ongoing incarceration, as the killer of their child will be eligible to apply for parole for the first time in 2023.