He also happened to be a relative of Robin Millhouse, South Australia's former Attorney General who would become a Supreme Court Justice in 1982. 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"). While police pounded the pavement to find out what had happened to Richard Kelvin, the young man's life was slowly coming to an end. The emergence of this drug would prove to be very interesting in the years to come, but at this point in the investigation, police were still struggling to connect all of the dots. Police spoke to Alan's friend, who had left him behind on Grand Junction Road. Both witnesses - who were friends with Neil and drug users themselves - were prepared to testify should this man be tried for the murder. From the outside looking in, von Einem was incredibly average. In the latter half of the 1970s, South Australia had started to regulate drugs like Mandrax, known throughout most of the world as "Quaaludes." 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. But he didn't commit these crimes on his own. 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. The older driver not only offered to give George a ride but offered to show him a good time with some ladies he knew. 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. The head was tied to the torso with rope passed through the mouth and out through the neck. Neil had several drug debts throughout Adelaide, and that is where police started their investigation. 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. The Family were not an official group, gang, or organisation. Unfortunately, Richard Kelvin would never make it home. 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. Following the decriminalization of homosexuality in 1975, Adelaide began to be known as one of the more progressive cities in all of Australia. So they tried to safely guard the parts of the investigation that they could. He likely did this to hide it from his parents, in case they made it home before he did. It's 1983, and a 15-year-old boy named Richard Kelvin is in a laneway in North Adelaide. [3], Von Einem was convicted in 1984 of the murder of Kelvin and sentenced to life imprisonment. Little is known about the unidentified man, but Roger James had his ankle broken when he was plunged into the river that May, and was only able to escape with the help of a friendly onlooker. The Family Murders is one of Australias most captivating true crime stories. But the rumors that he engaged in sex work were mainly perpetrated by those that knew him from his regular haunts: members of Adelaide's gay community, who regularly saw Neil at the gay-friendly bars they frequented. by enjin | Feb 12, 2021 | victim. The Family Murders is a well known and notorious series of crimes that occurred in Adelaide, Australia. This bore signs of premeditation, implying that this wasn't an impulsive decision, but a conscious one by a killer afraid of being identified through forensic testing. That was when similar stories of young men being drugged and sexually assaulted began to make waves throughout Australia; young men that had been drugged with similar substances. Needless to say, over the past few months, this investigation had become a new beast entirely. [8] Little more could be determined as the remains had been accidentally burnt by the farmer while clearing his property of scrub.[11][19]. He has spent that Sunday, June the 5th, playing footy, until the afternoon when his best friend Karl came over. 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. Hence, the odd scar that seemed to serve no other purpose. 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. So the police began reaching out to people that worked or had otherwise been in the area. He never made it home. A short time later, police were contacted and later arrived at the scene to document the grisly find. Hundreds of sordid and terrifying crimes and only one man found guilty in relation to only one victim. 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". He had been sexually assaulted and went on to report this bizarre, terrifying incident to police. This site is constantly being updated as more is learned. [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. The first of which was a very specific call alleging that two men - named Doug and Mark - were responsible for abducting Richard Kelvin. Alan lived with his parents, both English immigrants, in Salisbury: a northern suburb of Adelaide. Now, with Mark Langley, police were able to confirm the presence of the drug Mandrax in his system. 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). 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. 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. 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. Boris left on a bus, and Richard started making his way back home a trip that was no more than four-hundred meters. However, Neil's life was far less glamorous; rumors persist to this day that, leading up to August of 1979, Neil was engaging in sex work to support his bad habits and lifestyle. 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. Criminologist Alan Perry of the University of Adelaide, has argued that the murders were part of widespread series of kidnappings and sexual assaults of boys that might number several hundred victims in South Australia from about 1973 to 1983.[11]. 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. The Family Murders (Part Two: The Family) Unresolved The Family Murders Part Two: The Family As the families of five young men mourned, investigators began to circle around their top suspect, Bevan Spencer von Einem. The smallness of Adelaide and the six degrees of separation theory became even more evident when it was revealed that one of the Family murder victims was Richard Kelvin, son of a popular Channel . It is estimated that over 150 youths and young men were abducted, drugged, and then raped. If you recall, M.E. They phoned police that evening, hoping that their son's whereabouts could be chalked up to a simple miscommunication. 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. Trace evidence, including hair and fibres from von Einem's home, was found on Kelvin's body and clothing. They began probing those that knew Alan and might have taken issue with something he did or said in the weeks before his death; in particular, those that drove a white sedan. 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. Only one suspect has been charged and convicted for the crimes: Bevan Spencer von Einem was sentenced in 1984 to a minimum of 24 years (later extended to a minimum 36-year term) for the murder of 15-year-old Richard Kelvin. A few more anonymous calls would be received in the coming weeks. In 1979, residents of Adelaide were gripped by fear when several young men began to go missing under mysterious circumstances. Peter Stogneff. It wasn't until Monday morning that Alan's parents decided to contact the police, having not seen him for several days. He had struggled to wean himself off of heroin, using methadone to do so, only to have methadone become his next addiction. While investigators had been keeping information closely guarded in this case, they decided to publicize this information to the media in the hopes that it would attract follow-up tips. 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. He had school the next day, dinner was waiting, and he wanted to call his girlfriend. 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. This horrific sight was quickly reported to police, who arrived at the scene and immediately cordoned off the area around where the fisherman had reportedly discovered the floating trash bags. 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,. The ongoing investigation featured in an episode of Crime Stoppers which went to air on 2 March 2009. Although each attack and mutilation appeared different, police investigators soon began to link the horrific murders to one another. This story would become historic, in more ways than one. The fishermen probed the bags - a mystery just waiting to be unearthed - and quickly discovered that the bags held human remains. 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. Bevan Spencer von Einem was jailed for life for the murder of 15-year-old Richard Kelvin. Unfortunately, that Thursday, Peter never arrived at the mall to meet his friend. Suspect 2, a former male prostitute and close friend of von Einem known as Mr B. Police first treated Richard as a runaway; an unfortunate symptom of the times. The Clermont County Sheriff's Office . They kicked the footy around. Mark Langley Bevan Spencer von Einem is serving a life sentence for one of those murders. He was also found to be wearing clothing that did not belong to him, and his original clothing was missing entirely. This was done in a different method to what had happened to Neil Muir's remains, but medical examiners were able to identify points in the bones just above the knees and the back where a saw had carved the body into pieces. 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. Their psychological profile indicated that Neil's body had been carved up due to either a psychotic killer that derived pleasure from inflicting pain on others or someone that wanted to hide his/her identity. He had multiple channels to procuring young men. 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. The next day was a Sunday, they both planned to hitchhike to Alan's home in Salisbury. In Adelaides gay community in the 1970s and 1980s, young men were coveted for sex. 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. SA convicted murderer Bevan Spencer Von Einem during the jury's tour of North Adelaide dumping spot of Richard Kelvin's body. '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. And, with the recent discovery of the chemical cocktail found in Richard Kelvin's system, they had a pretty decent foundation for their investigation. 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. The night before he went missing he stayed at Darko Kastelan's house in Cheltenham. The jury visits spot where Richard Kelvin's body was found, northeast of Adelaide. They wanted to continue eliminating suspects that personally knew Alan ahead of time, but promised to check out von Einem in the future. Regardless, this information was incredibly helpful to police, who began to expand their interests to finding people in the area that drove similar vehicles. The Family werent an official club or group, rather a loose collection of people with Bevan von Einem at the centre. It wasn't until the following year, 1983, that police finally rediscovered George's story. George Duncan, one of the three men thrown into the Torrens, would drown that evening. High profile lawyer and murder victim Derrance Stevenson regularly entertained teenage youths. We know, from the 2014-2017 Royal Commission, that Debi Marshall's count of 150 disappeared boys in Adelaide is miniscule compared to the number tens of thousands of victims who stepped forward once they were invited by the RC. 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. While in rehab, Dr. Millhouse refused to speak to police about Neil Muir (or his alleged relationship with the man). 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. Several eyewitnesses remembered seeing Alan and his long, blond hair standing along Grand Junction Road that Sunday. The Butchered Boys: This episode revisits Adelaide's notorious Adelaide Family Murders case, where six young Adelaide men were murdered during the 1970s and '80s. When this young man woke up the next day, he was surprised to find himself both at home and in significant pain. Bevan von Einem had a network of around 25-30 people. Mark had likely hitched a ride with someone, and his friends trusted that he would make it home. His head had also been removed from the rest of his body, but was placed in its own separate black trash bag and connected with a rope tie to the rest of the remains. Once in the car they would be offered a drink that was laced with a knockout drug. Gambier, a city roughly five hours south of Adelaide. His body had been severely mutilated and dumped in the South Para Reservoir, northeast of Adelaide. Like the other victims, investigators would learn a lot from the status of Mark's remains. 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. 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. Just like Neil Muir, whoever had taken him had killed him and dumped his body pretty quickly, within a day or two. 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. Oh, that reminds me. Mark's remains had also clearly been thoroughly washed before being dumped, just like Alan Barnes. Show True Crime Conversations, Ep The Family Murders Of Adelaide - 10 Nov 2021. This was as good of a tip as police were going to get, and since the most recent victim of this strange killing spree had been found in the Foothills, police decided to follow through on the tip. The bodies were found from 24th June 1979 and the fifth and last body on 24th July 1983. This has come to be disputed over the years, with some speculating that Alan might have willingly consumed the drug the weekend before his death; or, perhaps, he might have been slipped it by someone at the bars he was rumored to visit with his friends that Saturday. Most were later described as being worthless, but a few piqued the interest of Investigator O'Brien. When they finally got around to doing this, after the discovery of Richard Kelvin's body, one name popped out at them. Sadly, this dark and tragic saga was just beginning. His family knew this but accepted that there was little they could do to curtail this behavior; letting Alan grow and develop at his own pace as his adolescence came to an end. On the afternoon of Sunday, June 5th, 1983, Richard was kicking around a soccer ball with his father Rob and his friend Boris at a park near his home. 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. 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. He vividly remembered hearing a young voice shout out (which we can assume was Richard) and a group of voices screaming in protest, almost in unison. But underneath the surface, a monster lingered For many, that meant gay-specific bars and clubs, where these individuals were allowed to socially express themselves honestly for the first time in their lives. 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.