Players - The Family Murders Players Five murdered young men, over 150 violent abduction drug-rapes, two people arrested, one person found guilty. Show True Crime Conversations, Ep The Family Murders Of Adelaide - 10 Nov 2021. This story would become historic, in more ways than one. When this young man woke up the next day, he was surprised to find himself both at home and in significant pain. The male and female drove off but returned At about 6pm on a Sunday afternoon, Richard walked his friend to the bus stop on O'Connell St, North Adelaide. The following morning, however, is a different story. This conflict has endured because Alan's bloodstream also showed signs of alcohol consumption, which Alan had participated in that same weekend. But underneath the surface, a monster lingered [14] The hair around the area had been shaved as it would have been in an operation in a hospital. How did he manipulate large numbers of people to get involved to various degrees even if that involvement was merely remaining silent? They now had five bodies - five victims - and five families pushing for answers. The bags looked as if they had been dropped from the higher-up wharf, just like the body of Alan Barnes had been. Like the other victims, investigators would learn a lot from the status of Mark's remains. This theory is that whatever item had been used to sexually assault Mark with - which ultimately led to his death - had gotten caught up in his intestines, and required surgery to retrieve. 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. In addition to the driver, there appeared to be a couple of other occupants inside of the car that they, unfortunately, could not recall many details of. This ultimately resulted in a victory for Dr. Peter Millhouse's attorneys, earning the man an acquittal and his freedom. He was also found to be wearing clothing that did not belong to him, and his original clothing was missing entirely. Needing to get away from his friends and clear his head, Mark decided to get out and walk away. This case includes mysterious attacks, brutal murders, and a dark conspiracy surrounding a secret group of elites that preyed on the young in the city. They had no idea that they were about to make one of the most gruesome discoveries in Australian history. Over a span of several years starting in 1979 and into the 80s five young men, aged from 14 to 25, went missing in different areas of Adelaide. It's important to note that, even though members of the LGBTQ community felt more comfortable to express themselves socially, that did not mean that everyone in the area was necessarily welcoming. One victim was killed and dumped within 24 hours, another was kept alive for five weeks, and the rest were in between. Only one suspect has been charged and convicted for a crime. On July 24th, 1983, a family was out looking for moss rocks in the vast reaches of the Mount Crawford Forest, about 35 kilometers northeast of Adelaide. von Einem is serving life imprisonment. 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. This section explores the people who at this stage are thought to have been on the periphery. From the outside looking in, von Einem was incredibly average. 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. 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. When police had arrived at the crime scene, they assumed that whoever had tried to dump the body of Alan Barnes had failed, in some way. In particular, they were members of the Vice Squad, who typically crackdown on "moral" crimes such as gambling, narcotics, pornography, and illegal substances. However, what wasn't up for debate was the fact that Alan had been violently tortured for hours before his death, with his death ultimately coming from blood loss due to an anal injury. The son of popular local Nine Network news presenter Rob Kelvin, he was abducted a short distance from his North Adelaide home on 5 June. For a week, his loved ones had been bracing themselves for the worst, but this was a confirmation of everything they had been fearing for the past several days: Alan had been violently murdered, and had spent his final hours in agony. [5] Others, who have examined the cases, however, argue that there were many more victims. Police spoke to Alan's friend, who had left him behind on Grand Junction Road. This group was believed to be involved in the kidnapping and sexual abuse of approximately 150 teenage boys and young men, as well as the torture and murder of 5 young men aged between 14 and 25, in the city of Adelaide, South Australia, in the 1970s and 1980s. [citation needed]. 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 Millhouse would have. On this night, in particular, that included these three men. Most were later described as being worthless, but a few piqued the interest of Investigator O'Brien. The Family Murders is the name given to a series of five sadistic murders committed by a loosely connected group of individuals who came to be known as The Family. It was speculated that a foreign object had caused the internal perforations, leading to the belief that the killer had been a sexual sadist whose only intent was to cause physical pain. The Clermont County Sheriff's Office . In October of 1982 - in the very midst of this crime spree - a teenage hitchhiker named George had been picked up by a passing car. They wanted to continue eliminating suspects that personally knew Alan ahead of time, but promised to check out von Einem in the future. Between 1979 and 1983, the city of Adelaide in South Australia was the stage for a horrific string of crimes against young men and teenagers.Five known victims of kidnapping, sexual abuse and murder showed up in those years, and police became convinced that the perpetrator was actually a group of several men . by enjin | Feb 12, 2021 . It shows the facts and most likely scenarios, but is fluid so when new information comes to light changes can easily be made. This period saw the creation of gay clubs in Adelaide (such as a location known as the Mars Bar) and other clubs where all sexualities were welcome (such as the Duke of York or Buckingham Arms, known in the area as "The Buck"). As the 1970s entered their homestretch, Alan was beginning to enter the phase of his life where he experimented with drug and alcohol usage. After a bit, Rob decided to walk home, leaving the two boys at the park; assured that it was just down the street from their house and it was still early in the day. Police thought that these gruesome and violent actions had been part of an effort to easily transport Neil's remains out to sea, and dispose of them in a way that they'd degrade before being identified. 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. 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. A day or two prior, at least. I think we might get closer to understanding what happened but I think lack of physical evidence pretty much rules out any more charges being laid. It was the body of Neil Muir or, rather, what remained of him. Referred to as a "Randy Mandy" among the era's deviants, Mandrax was a sedative that had just become popular worldwide with the branding "Quaalude." 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). 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. Oh, that reminds me. Add onto that abductions, drug-lacing, mutilations, victims held in captivity for weeks, and death by sado-masochism. The Family murders are the name of the murders of five young men and teenagers who happened in Adelaide, South Australia between 1979 and 1983. Trevor Peters lived two doors away from one of the transgender suspects and mixed in the same circles as a number of suspects. But he then set off again, likely headed towards the distant Rundle Mall, where he was due to meet up with his friend, Daniel, that day. Richard's family disputed this, vigorously denying the notion that Richard would have run away of his own accord. Hence, the odd scar that seemed to serve no other purpose. Do you think the Family Murders case will ever be solved? A witness says she saw Stogneff at Tea Tree Plaza with someone matching Noel Brook's appearance. Mark Langley attended party in Windsor Gardens but left with a male and female. Murdered victims were kept in captivity by the Family for up to five weeks. 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. It is confirmed that 5 of these victims were murdered, usually by having an object forced so far up their anus that it split the lining and they bled out. Between 1979 and 1983, a series of heinous murders shocked Adelaide. Sadly, this dark and tragic saga was just beginning. Stogneff's body had been cut into three pieces in a similar fashion to Muir. This witness recalled Alan getting into a vehicle, which appeared to be a white Holden sedan. The Family were not an official group, gang, or organisation. This young man, Bevan Spencer von Einem - an acquaintance of James' - had helped James make it to shore and then drove him to the nearby Royal Adelaide Hospital. Investigators were unable to pinpoint Peter's exact cause-of-death, or even estimate when he had been killed. Global Nav Open Menu . The skeletal remains of one victim bore marks to reasonably indicate a similar experience and outcome. This group was believed to be involved in the kidnapping and sexual abuse of a number of teenage boys and young men, as well as the torture and murder of five young men aged between 14 and 25, in Adelaide, South Australia, in the 1970s and 1980s. The police came to this conclusion due to the status of his remains, which weren't nearly as decomposed as they should have been; by the time he was discovered at the end of July, he had been dead for no more than a week or two, despite having gone missing at the beginning of June. Sadly, almost all of the evidence that may have been left behind was now gone, burned away to ash along with all of Peter's remaining soft tissue. (What a lovely country, Australia!) Writing, research, hosting, and production by Micheal Whelan, Producers: Maggyjames, Ben Krokum, Roberta Janson, Quil Carter, Peggy Belarde, Laura Hannan, Damion Moore, Amy Hampton, Scott Meesey, Steven Wilson, Scott Patzold, Marie Vanglund, Lori Rodriguez, Jessica Yount, Aimee McGregor, Danny Williams, Sue Kirk, Victoria Reid, Sara Moscaritolo, Thomas Ahearn, Marion Welsh, Seth Morgan, Sydney Scotton, Alyssa Lawton, Kelly Jo Hapgood, Patrick Laakso, Meadow Landry, Rebecca Miller, and Tatum Bautista, Original music created by Micheal Whelan through Amper Music, Other music created and composed by Ailsa Traves, Young Bloods: The Story of the Family Murders by Bob OBrien, Crime Stoppers (South Australia) - Alan Arthur Barnes, Crime Stoppers (South Australia) - Neil Fredrick Muir, Crime Stoppers (South Australia) - Peter Stogneff, Crime Stoppers (South Australia) - Mark Andrew Langley, Crime Stoppers (South Australia) - Richard Kelvin, The Sydney Morning Herald - Adelaides Duncan case: letting some light shine in, The Sydney Morning Herald - Boys murderer refused High Court appeal, The Sydney Morning Herald - Macabre Adelaide (1), The Sydney Morning Herald - Macabre Adelaide (2), The Sydney Morning Herald - Murderer quizzed on death of youth, The Age - Men fled as Duncan died, court told, The Sydney Morning Herald - The Beaumonts, Kirste and Joanne: the mystery may be over, The Sydney Morning Herald - Witness feared threats to his life, The Age - Court told rape victim thought he would die, The Sydney Morning Herald - Family killings murder charge dropped, The Age - Lock up your sons in the worlds murder capital, The Weekend Australian - How Mother Goose ducked pedophile net, The Advertiser - Police seek von Einem associate, Perth Now - DNA tests for Family murder suspects, The Advertiser - $5M reward bid to solve Family murders, The Sydney Morning Herald - Reward doubled to solve Family murders, The Telegraph - Australian police reopen notorious 1970s Family murders case, The Sydney Morning Herald - Aussie pedophile deported from Indonesia, The Advertiser - Focus on three key suspects, The Advertiser - Revealed: The double life of a magistrate who sought young men, ABC News - Mother Goose sex trial starts in Adelaide, The Advertiser - Mother Goose claims he was set up by gay ex-prostitutes, The Advertiser - Doctor with alleged links to The Family identified as Stephen George Woodards, The Advertiser - Sex-case doctor Stephen George Woodards free to practise, ABC News - Mother Goose acquitted of sex charges, The Advertiser - Paedophile Peter Liddy fears prison attack, ABC News - Former TV entertainer sentenced for sex offences, The Advertiser - Lost diary gives South Australia police new lead into Alan Barnes murder by The Family, The Daily Mail - Will $13million reward solve the murders of 18 children? It was broad daylight, and both were assured that Alan would easily be able to find a ride to take him the few miles home. So, they believed that this crime might have been perpetrated by someone that Neil owed money to, who wanted to cover up their tracks afterward. Many of these people were directly involved in the abductions and rape of victims who survived. They phoned police that evening, hoping that their son's whereabouts could be chalked up to a simple miscommunication. It wasn't until the next day, Sunday (February 28th), that Mark's parents began to grow concerned. But he didn't commit these crimes on his own. During the 1970s von Einem started developing strategies to lure victims into his car. Homosexuality itself would become decriminalized just a few years later, in 1975, with the passing of the Criminal Law Amendment Act, making South Australia the first Australian state or territory where members of the LGBTQ community no longer had to fear government persecution. Hundreds of sordid and terrifying crimes and only one man found guilty in relation to only one victim. Dylan John Kovarskis murdered Nathan Russell in 2021 . 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. Bevan Spencer von Einem was jailed for life for the murder of 15-year-old Richard Kelvin. If you have information about the case then contact us through our contact page. Police had still not linked the two cases - Barnes and Neil Muir - but while being questioned about the first murder, von Einem inquired about the second without any provocation. They drove to War Memorial Drive (150m east of the Adelaide Rowing Club ) when Mark had a minor argument with the other male so got out and left. Just a few months later, in June of 1982, the family of missing 14-year-old Peter Stogneff would finally get some resolution. Veale Gardens had a thriving male prostitution scene, many of which were underage. 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. [6] Von Einem was also one of the last people seen with a fourth victim, Muir, following his abduction. He told officers what the two had been up to that weekend: hanging out on Saturday and into Sunday morning, before splitting up. The son was fifteen when he was snatched from the street . Neil Muir's body had been so badly mutilated that he still barely resembled an entire being. The Adelaide Festival of Arts (also known as just Adelaide Festival) started in 1960 and led to something of a "cultural revival" in the area. When a warrant was eventually served on Dr. Millhouse's cottage in northern Adelaide, police found the same type of trash bags and rope that had been found with Neil Muir's remains. However, police would reach out to all of Mark's known friends, and learned that the night prior - February 27th - he had simply wandered off into the night and had not been seen since. [11], Last edited on 24 February 2023, at 04:35, List of serial killers by number of victims, Von Einem: Lawyers in new bid to re-open Kelvin case, "Doctor found not guilty of 'Family' murder of Neil Muir dies in NSW", "Australian police reopen notorious 1970s Family murders case", "Body in bag: jury acquits doctor in Adelaide", "Lost diary gives South Australia police new lead into Alan Barnes murder by The Family", "Many Theories, Few Clues in String of Adelaide Murders", "Record 24-year non-parole period for boy's killer", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Family_Murders&oldid=1141259172, This page was last edited on 24 February 2023, at 04:35. These people have no such bond, only an association that with time probably no longer exists". With tattoos, long hair, and a gruff demeanor, Neil looked like your average rock musician, and his transient lifestyle seems to support that. View description Share. He had been sexually assaulted and went on to report this bizarre, terrifying incident to police. The older driver not only offered to give George a ride but offered to show him a good time with some ladies he knew. [5][9] The cold case review was completed in November 2010 with no charges being laid against any of the three key suspects. We know that on the morning of Sunday, June 17th, Alan and his friend woke up, and tried their luck hitchhiking back to Alan's family's house (a practice that wasn't that uncommon in the late 1970s). Hours would begin to pass, and Alan would fail to return home at all that Sunday. These individuals have come to be known as the "The Family" and are believed to have kidnapped and sexually abused over 150 boys and are believed to have tortured and murdered at least five teenage boys during a crime spree in Adelaide, South Australia. Darko's brother dropped them at a bus stop near the corner of on Grand Junction Rd and Addison. POLICE are investigating new information linking convicted killer Bevan Spencer von Einem to the abduction and murder of teenager Alan Barnes. Once it became clear that something had happened to Peter, his family launched a frantic search for him, starting in the family's home. The post-mortem revealed that Langley had died from a massive loss of blood from gross injuries to his anus, similar to Barnes. In the latter half of the 1970s, South Australia had started to regulate drugs like Mandrax, known throughout most of the world as "Quaaludes." Unfortunately, this lead ultimately led nowhere, so police began investigating people more tentatively linked to Neil through his social circle. An accountant by profession, he was convicted in 1984 for the murder of 15-year-old Adelaide teenager Richard Kelvin, the son of local television and radio personality Rob Kelvin. '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. Victims - The Family Murders Victims Alan Barnes Feb 12, 2021 The night before he went missing he stayed at Darko Kastelan's house in Cheltenham. He is 50 metres from his beautiful family home. Our locations section shows where all the events happened and where all the players lived. Some time after they went missing, their bodies would each be found, often horribly mutilated. Unfortunately, that Thursday, Peter never arrived at the mall to meet his friend. The victims were found in random locations throughout the state, their bodies neatly cut into pieces. A thrash metal band singer and members of his family were killed in an apparent murder-suicide late last month, according to police. 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. Millhouse was charged and went to trial but was acquitted. Ian and Paula, Mark's friends, drove away but would return just minutes later, cooler heads having prevailed. When they finally got around to doing this, after the discovery of Richard Kelvin's body, one name popped out at them. Also, like the other victims, Mark's cause-of-death seemed to be nearly identical: blood loss from an anal injury, caused by the forced insertion of an unknown item. Mr B - The Family Murders Mr B Mr B was named by South Australian police in 2008 as one of the three main suspects who were involved in the murders alongside Bevan von Einem. In Adelaides gay community in the 1970s and 1980s, young men were coveted for sex. No additional leads would surface in that time-span, and police would continue to refrain from stating that the two victims so far - Alan Barnes and Neil Muir - were connected in any way (at least, they wouldn't say so publicly). Police believe that up to 12 people, several of them high-profile Australians, were involved in the kidnappings. Unfortunately, as the farmer's land burned, so did the remains of the missing teenager. It's 1983, and a 15-year-old boy named Richard Kelvin is in a laneway in North Adelaide. March 3, 2023 - 7:08PM. This caller alleged that the two older men had been driving around a 1963 EJ Holden sedan. The Family Murders are a series of violent and depraved sex crimes committed against five young men and boys in South Australia throughout the 1970's and 1980's. In 1988 Detective Trevor Kipling described a group of people whom he suspected as being responsible as "one big happy family" and vowed to do all that he could to bring them to justice. Moments later, George lost consciousness, falling prey to the drugs that he had consumed. He has spent that Sunday, June the 5th, playing footy, until the afternoon when his best friend Karl came over. Once known as the "City of Churches," Adelaide began going through a stark progression in the 1960s. The Family Murders was a series of murders in the 1970s and 1980s that targeted young men in Adelaide, South Australia between the ages of 14 and 25. Police wouldn't get around to conducting a door-to-door canvas of the neighborhood until Tuesday, two days after Richard had gone missing. When using other people (sometimes transgenders, sometimes cross-dressers, and sometimes Mr B), a common ploy was to ask a lone youth if he want to go to a party where there was plenty of booze and women. The Family Murders Of Adelaide. This notoriety brought with it a poor reputation, however, and by the late 1970s, Mandrax had become a regulated prescription drug throughout Australia. This included people that visited the same bars and clubs as Neil and perhaps knew him that way. This caller told detectives that a man named Bevan Spencer von Einem was responsible for Alan's death, and his name was added to the list of potential suspects to explore. Five young men were mysteriously abducted in different . A short time later, police were contacted and later arrived at the scene to document the grisly find. Neil Fredrick Muir, aged 25,[12][13] murdered two months after Barnes in August 1979. After taking the pills, George's memory began to blur. Within hours, Alan's father and grandfather found themselves tagged to identify the remains, which were undoubtedly the remains of their missing 17-year-old. Bevan von Einem was an apex predator. 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. Alan's body had fallen to the dirt below, twisting and contorting in such a way that - should he have been alive - would have surely resulted in death or serious injury. How, why, or where they had seen this tape escaped the caller, but it was enough to send detectives through the paces of investigating every lead related to this: known deviants, underground porn shops, etc. 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. 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. He is 50 metres from his beautiful family home. This screening also revealed that the young man had been drugged with Mandrax ("Randy Mandys"), which had resulted in him losing consciousness. The two had been dating for about a month now, and Richard had excitedly told his mother that he planned on proposing when his girlfriend and he were nineteen years old.