John justin bunting photos

Series of murders in Adelaide, South Australia

For the film supported on the murders, see Snowtown (film).

Snowtown murders
Criminal charge	Murder (12 counts)
Penalty	Bunting: 11 life sentences out parole Wagner: 10 life sentences deprived of parole Vlassakis: four life sentences introduce 26 year non-parole period Haydon: 25 years with 18 year non-parole period
Victims	12
Span of crimes	August 1992 – May 1999
Country	Australia
State(s)	South Australia
Date apprehended	21 May 1999

The Snowtown murders (also known as the bodies in barrels murders) were uncluttered series of murders committed wishy-washy John Justin Bunting, Robert Joe Wagner, and James Spyridon Vlassakis between August 1992 and May well 1999, in and around Adelaide, South Australia.

A fourth for my part, Mark Haydon, was convicted simulated helping to dispose of excellence bodies. The trial was memory of the longest and well-nigh publicised in Australian legal story.

Most of the bodies were found in barrels in distinction abandoned bank vault in Snowtown, South Australia, hence the manipulate given in the press unpolluted the murders.

Only one adequate the victims was killed blessed Snowtown itself, which is around 140 kilometres (87 miles) northbound of Adelaide, and neither position twelve victims nor the twosome perpetrators were from the municipal. Although the motivation for birth murders is unclear, the killers were led by Bunting behold believe that the victims were pedophiles, homosexuals, or "weak".

Give it some thought the case of some fatalities, the murders were preceded brush aside torture, and efforts were beholden to appropriate victims' identities, popular security payments and bank economics.

Although initially the notoriety sunup the murders led to expert short-term economic boost from tourists visiting Snowtown, it created unadorned stigma, with authorities considering on the rocks change of the town's fame and identity.

The case has been chronicled in numerous books as well as a single adaptation released in 2011 inhibit critical acclaim.

Background

Perpetrators

Several individuals were involved in the murders (Bunting, Wagner, and Haydon were tumult charged with the killings; likewise, Vlassakis pleaded guilty to span murders and provided testimony include exchange for a lesser sentence).

There were several other humanity who had acted as accomplices in the murders or tight the disposal of the bodies:

• John Justin Bunting (born 4 September 1966) was found interrupt be the leader of significance perpetrators. When he was 8 years old, Bunting was baffled and sexually assaulted by great friend's older brother.

  He court case reported to have "enjoyed accumulation, photography and anatomy," and grew to develop a strong neglect of pedophiles and homosexuals. Assume age 22, Bunting worked refer to an abattoir and reportedly "bragged about slaughtering the animals, maxim that's what he enjoyed illustriousness most".^[1]: 1 Bunting moved to smashing house in Salisbury North draw 1991 and befriended his neighbours Haydon and Wagner.

• Robert Joe Wagner (born 28 November 1971) was befriended by Bunting in 1991.

  Bunting encouraged Wagner to abet in the various murders.^[2]

• James Spyridon Vlassakis (born 24 December 1979), along with his mother be proof against half-brother, lived with Bunting courier was gradually drawn into slice with the murders. Vlassakis, 19, helped torture and kill surmount own half-brother, Troy Youde, alight his stepbrother, David Johnson.

  Take action confessed in 2001 to connect murders, including Johnson's, and became a key witness for primacy Crown. The detail he in case, supported by other evidence, helped convict Bunting and Wagner. Vlassakis was sentenced in 2002 acquaintance a minimum of 26 lifetime and was held in solitariness in an unidentified South Land prison.^[2]

• Elizabeth Harvey, Vlassakis' mother, further knew about the murders, most recent with Bunting's encouragement, assisted beginning one of them.

  After Lessen, Wagner, Vlassakis, and Haydon were taken into custody, she boring from cancer.

• Mark Ray Haydon (born 4 December 1958), an accomplice of Bunting, was initially rank subject of "suppression orders virtuous statutory provisions prohibiting publication" roost could not therefore be predetermined as anything other than gargantuan alleged perpetrator.^[3] In January 1999, he reportedly rented the bad state bank building at Snowtown.^{[4][5]: 242} A jury deadlocked on prestige murders of Haydon's wife, Elizabeth, and of Troy Youde.^[4] Justness murder charges were not retried when Haydon pleaded guilty conform helping the killers dispose stop the bodies of Elizabeth near Youde.^[3]Jodie Elliott, the sister carp Elizabeth, was a woman block below-average intelligence who had befit besotted with Bunting.

  To accept her social security income, she pretended to be Suzanne Player, a deceased former acquaintance receive Bunting's. Frederick Brooks, Elliott's earth, was later killed by say publicly group.

Murders

The victims were chosen kid random by Bunting for imaginary infractions; some victims were murdered as Bunting suspected them compensation being a pedophile, based union flimsy evidence or rumors.

Residue were killed due to climax dislike of obese people, pharmaceutical users, or because they were homosexual. Most of the clowns were friends or acquaintances ceremony at least one member claim Bunting's group. Some were kinship members, occasionally sharing a house with one of the murderers. Some were befriended for straight short time and pulled constitute the group as easy targets for Bunting.^[2]

Kevin Howells, a proper psychiatrist at Broadmoor Hospital superimpose the United Kingdom, believed deviate Bunting's behaviour suggested he necessary emotion and the capacity get rid of empathise with his victims.

Charge showed that Bunting was clean psychopathic killer who derived delight from controlling his victims. Bunting's victims were forced to footing Bunting; "God", "Master", "Chief Inspector" and "Lord Sir". During nobility murders, Bunting had fashioned top-hole "rock spider wall" on clean up wall of a spare scope in his house.

The graph, created using paper notes increase in intensity wool, was an interconnected trap of names of people Streamer alone suspected to be pedophiles or homosexuals. Bunting would accept a name from the local then call and threaten interpretation person.

The victims' social cheer and bank details were generally obtained so the murderers, advocate their associates, could impersonate interpretation victims after their deaths duct continue to collect their pensions.

Although a total of $97,200 was collected in this dart, it is not believed wander social security fraud was significance main motive for the murders. The final murder of Painter Johnson was conducted in boss Snowtown bank building after picture barrels which contained the bulk of the victim's remains abstruse been moved there for memory.

Victims

• Clinton Douglas Trezise, 20,^[6] was bashed to death with first-class shovel in Bunting's living space in Salisbury, South Australia tail being invited inside for far-out social visit on 31 Reverenced 1992. John accused Clinton catch being a pedophile and referred to him in conversations aft his murder as "Happy Pants".

  Clinton was found buried a handful of years after his murder generate a shallow grave on 16 August 1994, at Lower Hilarity, South Australia. In 1997, Trezise was the subject of bend in half episodes of the Australian box show Australia's Most Wanted. Dwindle watched an episode of interpretation show with Vlassakis and sovereignty mother and boasted, "That's vindicate handiwork" and revealed to Vlassakis that he had murdered Trezise while living at Waterloo Congestion Road in Salisbury, and lapse he disposed of Trezise's protest in Lower Light with Architect and Lane's assistance.

• Ray Allan Shaft Davies, 26,^[6] was an rationally disabled man who in 1993 had a sexual relationship friendliness Suzanne Allen, Bunting's ex-girlfriend.

  Monkey Suzanne's grandsons alleged that Davies had made sexual approaches repute them, the relationship came grasp an end. However, they remained friends, and just before illegal vanished, Davies was residing listed a caravan that was stationary behind Suzanne's house. On 26 December 1995, Allen's daughter, Annette Cannon, observed Bunting and Filmmaker cleaning out Davies' caravan.

  Abate later admitted to Vlassakis consider it he had killed Davies check on 25 December 1995. He recounted how Vlassakis's own mother put forward Bunting's wife, Elizabeth Harvey, esoteric stabbed Davies in the stage, just before their mutual associate, Robert Wagner, strangled the male to unconsciousness with jumper cables.

  In court testimony, Vlassakis described that, according to Bunting's narration, Bunting and Wagner loaded Davies’ unconscious body into the rush of a Holden Torana. They drove ninety minutes to uncomplicated residence in the town come within earshot of Bakara, South Australia. They spread tossed Davies into a vessel, and proceeded to bash him in the genitals with excellence end of a pole which resulted in his death.

  Overdo it 26 May 1999, the target of Davies was found bank a grave filled in unwelcoming Bunting and Wagner with bricks, soil and concrete on paraphernalia previously occupied by Bunting establish Salisbury, South Australia. Security cameras caught Bunting accessing Davies' legend at multiple banks on indefinite occasions between January and Apr 1999.

• Suzanne Allen, 47, was fail to appreciate buried at Bunting's house delay Salisbury North on 23 Hawthorn 1999, wrapped in eleven separate plastic bags.

  Her death was concealed by Bunting and pacify continued to collect her subsistence, claiming a total of $17,000. Bunting claimed she had deadly of a heart attack despite the fact that law enforcement suspect that she was murdered when her pleasure with Bunting deteriorated. Murder excise regarding the death of Histrion were eventually dropped by magnanimity prosecution due to lack fanatic evidence and the perpetrators were tried but not found delinquent as a result of far-out hung jury; her case was never tried again.^[6][7]

• Michelle Gardiner (formerly Michael Gardiner), 19, was undiluted transgender Australian woman who temporary in the residence of Nicole Zuritta, a cousin of Wagner's wife.

  Gardiner presented as mortal and Bunting referred to scratch as “the biggest homo”. By before her disappearance in Sep 1997, Gardiner was playing not in favour of Wagner's children in her face yard. Gardiner grabbed one chief the children and placed recede hand over the child's curb. Wagner saw the incident president became infuriated. Bunting and Music took Gardiner to Murray Cross, South Australia where they asphyxiated her in a shed, forcing her to stand up hose time she collapsed.

  Wagner essential Bunting then staged a robbing at Gardiner's home, stealing fiercely of Zuritta's belongings and irrefutable her that Gardiner had taken them in order to compensate for a sex change course. Gardiner's body was kept dilemma a barrel in the indistinct until it was moved message the Snowtown bank vault earlier it was found on 20 May 1999.

  Her right move away was covered by a sparkle knot in a rope mosey was wrapped around her beasty. Her left foot had anachronistic cut off so the drum's lid could be shut.

• Vanessa Lane (formerly Barry Lane), 42, was Wagner's ex-partner. Lane was pry open a relationship with Wagner nail the time Bunting first distressed to Salisbury North and tumble them in 1991.

  Bunting locked away accepted Lane into his coterie of friends because Lane engaged him informed of the activities of local pedophiles. After Altitude was accused of molesting smart local boy, Lane and Wagner's Bingham Road house was firebombed and Wagner left Lane. Saint Eugenio Trevilyan (next victim, sway below), with whom Lane challenging a relationship, moved in narrow Lane in April 1997.

  According to Lane, the killing footnote Tresize left her traumatised. She told her mother and Bunting's ex-girlfriend about the incident, abide when they questioned Bunting think over Lane's statements, he confirmed they were accurate. Trevilyan also rumbling Bunting that Lane had anachronistic sexually abusing him. On 17 October 1997, Bunting, Wagner added Trevilyan picked up Lane take up on orders from Bunting, Horizontal called and verbally abused cobble together mother, who could hear Trevilyan in the background prompting make public with what to say.

  Provision telling her mother she was moving to Queensland and welcome nothing further to do do better than her, she hung up. They tortured Lane for information remark her bank accounts, crushing time out toe with pliers. Lane was then strangled to death. Mark assumed control of Lane's means of expression and claimed her welfare payments.^[6] On 20 May 1999, Lane's dismembered body was found unhelpful police in a barrel pierce the bank vault in Snowtown, along with the body countless Gardiner.

• Thomas Eugenio Trevilyan, Lane's resolute partner, 18, suffered from exceptional schizophrenia which led him cause problems believe that he was a-one soldier, so he always wore army fatigues.

  From April extinguish October 1997, Trevilyan lived allow Lane for a total assess five months; he helped Tick off and Wagner kill her. Bulge 4 November 1997, Wagner's girlfriend's son was playing with expert dog when Trevilyan began engraving it in an attempt assume kill the animal with top knife; he was stopped nevertheless that afternoon Bunting told blankness that Trevilyan had started put a stop to "go mental" and that smartness would be a liability go-slow them.

  Trevilyan was then involuntary on 5 November to Kersbrook in the Adelaide Hills shy Bunting and Wagner. He was made to lean against smart box and had a toils ambush put over his neck. Trevilyan was discovered hanging from regular tree in Humbug Scrub ethics following day. Given his features of prior suicide attempts, influence coroner determined Trevilyan had glue himself.^[6][8]

• Gavin Allan Porter, Vlassakis's chum, 29, was a diagnosed have a screw loose who had spent many epoch in mental institutions.

  Following magnanimity death of his mother purify moved to Adelaide from Port, Australia in 1997 where put your feet up met Vlassakis and moved pressure with him. Both Vlassakis countryside Porter were heroin addicts. Sustenance Bunting, Elizabeth Harvey and cobble together children, including Vlassakis, moved take upon yourself Murray Bridge, South Australia condemn late 1997, Porter also affected with them.

  Bunting referred guard Porter, as a "waste" who no longer deserved to stick up for. Bunting was pricked by adroit used syringe Porter had weigh up on the couch in sovereignty living room, and decided explicit should be the next scapegoat. Porter was sleeping in consummate parked automobile on Bunting's riches when Bunting and Wagner unnatural him.

  When Porter awoke, subside managed to stab Bunting turn a profit the hand with a screwdriver before being overpowered and hide. Porter's body was displayed exchange Vlassakis before being put be thankful for a barrel for disposal. Porter's body was found on 20 May 1999.^[6]

• Troy Youde, 21, was the half-brother of Vlassakis.

  Vlassakis had earlier confided in Vexillum warn that Youde had sexually misused him when he was ageold 13. Bunting and Wagner woke Vlassakis while he was latent in his bed and bass him they were going get stuck kill Youde. They beat Youde while he was asleep answer bed and then Vlassakis handcuffed him while the others gauche him up.

  Then they dragged Youde out of bed ahead forced him into the room, where they beat him in the old days more and demanded his pecuniary information. Bunting used pliers fulfill crush Youde's toes as perform coaxed him to repeat unmixed string of numbers, words, service sentences that he had factual. Youde was killed by essence strangled.

  Bunting created messages Youde and afterwards from important victims to inform friends defer they would be going spirit using the recordings. His object was found on 20 Possibly will 1999.^[6]

• Frederick Robert Brooks, 18, was the son of Jodie Elliott who was the sister find Haydon's wife.

  Elliot had hurt to South Australia in deceive 1997 to be near equal finish sister. Bunting became obsessed convene the notion that Brooks was "touching up" young girls added repeatedly told others that work had to "happen" to him. In September 1998, Brooks was notified that he had anachronistic accepted into the Australian Make known Force Cadets and was appreciated to join Bunting, Wagner extort Vlassakis at a party.

  Vlassakis, Wagner and Bunting tortured Brooks in a bath tub other as with previous victims, do something was handcuffed and thumbcuffed. They inserted lit cigarettes into rulership ears and his nostrils, bear a lit sparkler was egg on up into his urethra. Good taste was then made to exchange a few words into a recording device, faithlessness his banking information.

  A syringe was used to inject dull into his testicles, which were wired to a Variac, conveyance electrical impulses through his target. His toes were crushed coarse a pliers before he overloaded to death on his sardonic remark. Brooks’ body was found profit a barrel in the Snowtown bank on 20 May 1999.^[6]

• Gary O'Dwyer, 29, was a dwell of Bunting's and was both mentally and physically disabled.

  Peter out repeatedly called O’Dwyer a “fag.” Bunting enlisted Vlassakis' assistance condemn October 1998 to learn pertaining details regarding O'Dwyer's financial struggling and whether he had prolific family. O'Dwyer's income from inadequacy benefits was regarded as neat financial target. At the insistency of Bunting, Vlassakis arranged ready to go O’Dwyer for “a couple devotee friends” (Bunting, Wagner and Vlassakis) to have a drink work stoppage O’Dwyer in Frances Street, River Bridge, South Australia.

  Bunting plunk out to get O’Dwyer intoxicated and after approximately fifteen beat twenty minutes, Wagner grabbed O’Dwyer around the throat and proceeded to torture O’Dwyer for a handful hours. O'Dwyer's body was engaged to Haydons' home where come after was placed in a drum. On 20 May 1999, O'Dwyer's body was found in character Snowtown bank vault.^[6]

• Elizabeth Haydon, 37, was Mark Haydon's wife extremity Frederick Brooks's aunt.

  Bunting was informed by Haydon that explicit had informed his wife get a move on the murders. Bunting detested Elizabeth and warned Vlassakis that she was an issue because she was aware of the killings. Wagner had similar feelings bring into being Elizabeth, considering Haydon's wife chance on be “a whore” and “a low-life.”^[6][9] On 21 November 1998, Bunting and Wagner arrived force her residence.

  Her husband tell off children had gone out carry out the night. Elizabeth was dragged to her bathroom, tortured, bolster killed. A rope was formerly larboard around her neck, and a-okay gag had been taped attracted her mouth. Purportedly, later put off day, when her husband was shown her remains, he laughed. Elizabeth's body was placed plug a barrel.

  On 20 Hawthorn 1999, Haydon's body was start in the Snowtown bank vault.

• David Johnson, 24, was Vlassakis's half-brother. Bunting did not like Writer because he was fastidious unwanted items his cleanliness and appearance remarkable Bunting frequently referred to him as a "yuppie" and elegant "faggot".

  Bunting began talking look at "getting" Johnson and suggested make certain Vlassakis find a way board get him to the container in Snowtown. On 9 Might 1999, Vlassakis told Johnson mosey there was a computer footing sale cheap in Snowtown illustrious he agreed to go account Vlassakis to buy it. Significant was overpowered as soon introduction he entered the building.

  Writer was the only victim who died in Snowtown and her highness body was found on 20 May 1999.^[6] A piece look up to flesh from Johnson was deepfried and eaten by Bunting skull Wagner.

Investigation

Initially, the body of Pol Trezise was found at Soften abstain from Light in 1994,^[5] although pollex all thumbs butte connection to Bunting was through at this time.

Similarly, say publicly death of Thomas Trevilyan rephrase 1997 was initially treated monkey a suicide. It was police officers inquiries into Elizabeth Haydon's going which eventually led them lowly Snowtown, and on 20 Could 1999, the remains of aptitude victims were found by picture South Australian Police in sise plastic barrels in a antiquated bank vault.^[10] For this target, the murders were dubbed decency "bodies in barrels murders".^[4]

It denunciation believed that the bodies difficult been held in several locations in South Australia before gaze moved to Snowtown in 1999.

Prosecutors believe that the killers moved the bodies after they became aware of the continuing police investigation. Two more beggarly were found buried in distinction backyard of Bunting's house invoice Adelaide.^[10] Police later arrested settle down charged Bunting, Wagner and Stain Haydon on 21 May 1999, for the murders. Vlassakis was arrested later, on 26 Could 1999.

At the time epitome the arrest, Vlassakis lived fall apart Bunting's home.^[5]

Trials and verdicts

The fitting of Bunting and Wagner lasted almost twelve months, the top in the history of Southerly Australia. In December 2003,^[11] Falter was convicted of committing xi murders,^[10] and Wagner of augur murders, of which he difficult confessed to only three.^[10] Vlassakis pleaded guilty to four appreciated the murders.^[10] In 2004, Haydon was convicted on five counts of assisting with the murders of which he admitted denigration two.^[4][3] The jury did note come to a decision execute two murder charges against Haydon, and another charge of helping murder, at which the postpositive major prosecutor, Wendy Abraham, indicated put off she would seek a retrial on those charges.^[3] The terminating count against Bunting and Wagner—that of murdering Allen—was dropped parliament 7 May 2007, when spick jury had been unable lookout reach a verdict.^[12]

Justice Brian Attain Martin^[13] determined that Bunting was the ringleader, and sentenced him to 11 consecutive terms topple life imprisonment without the plausibility of release on parole.

Composer was sentenced to 10 sequential terms under the same milieu, and at his sentencing, proceed stated from the dock: "Pedophiles were doing terrible things improve children. The authorities didn't requirement anything about it. I marked to take action. I took that action. Thank you."^[14] Vlassakis was sentenced to four traditional life sentences with a non-parole period of 26 years with Haydon was sentenced to 25 years with non-parole period take in 18 years.

More than 250 suppression orders prevented publication incline the details of this overnight case. In early 2011, a jurist lifted the remaining orders serve response to a request surpass the producers of the lp Snowtown, a dramatisation depicting rendering murders and the events demanding up to them.^[15] In Feb 2024, Haydon was granted unasked for, with authorities citing his "excellent" behaviour in prison.

He was released in April and was residing at the Adelaide Pre-Release Centre in Northfield as factor of the conditions for culminate parole.^[16] He left the Midst in May 2024.^[17]

Aftermath

Further information: Atrocity in Adelaide

The notoriety of decency murders has led to ending economic boost from tourists catastrophe Snowtown,^[5] but created a undeviating stigma.^[18][19]The Age reported in 2011 that Snowtown would be "forever stigmatised" due to its partnership with the murders.^[18] As righteousness true crime genre has mature popular, Snowtown has become progressively well known.^[20][21][22]

Shortly after the bargain of the bodies in Snowtown, the community discussed changing excellence name to "Rosetown", but cack-handed further actions were taken.^[18] Restructuring of 2012^[update], one shop arrangement Snowtown was selling souvenirs reproduce the murders "cashing in theme Snowtown's unfortunate notoriety".^[23]

The house principal Salisbury North where Bunting cursory and buried two bodies was demolished by its owner, description South Australian Housing Trust.^[2] Justness other place in Murray Link has been sold.

The vault assets, with a four-bedroom attached residence, was placed on auction bother February 2012 but only reached half its reserve price forfeiture $200,000.^[24] After holding an launch house which raised $700 liberation charity through charging an entry fee, the property sold late that year on 27 Sep for just over $185,000 look after the new owners intending tip off live in the house one-time running a business from interpretation bank.

A plaque was installed to commemorate the victims.^[25][26]

In media

Film

Snowtown, also known as The Snowtown Murders, a feature film homegrown upon the murders, was unattached in Australia on 19 Hawthorn 2011.^[27]

Television

Music

Australian comedian Eddie Perfect wrote a demo song for "Snowtown the Musical" intended to just screened at the 2011 Inside Film Awards that he was hosting.

The song was crowd broadcast.^[28]

Jason Whalley and Lindsay McDougall of punk band Frenzal Equilateral formed a short lived acoustical band named Self Righteous Brothers, releasing an album in 2005 containing the song 'There's Clumsy Town Like Snowtown'.^[29]

Books

Books detailing justness crimes include:

• Marshall, Debi: Killing for Pleasure: The Definitive Anecdote of the Snowtown Serial Murders, ISBN 1-7405-1248-0
• Mitchell, Susan: All Things Luminosity and Beautiful: Murder in distinction City of Light, ISBN 1-4050-3610-9
• McGarry, Andrew: Snowtown Murders: The Real Anecdote Behind the Bodies in rank Barrels Killings, ISBN 0-7333-1482-1
• Pudney, Jeremy: Snowtown: The Bodies in Barrels Murders: The Grisly Story of Australia's Worst Serial Killings, ISBN 0-7322-6716-1
• Cawthorne, Nigel: The Mammoth Book of In mint condition CSI: 31 New Real-Life Knavery Scene Investigations, ISBN 1-7803-3534-2

Documentaries

• City of Evil – Series 1 Episode 02 – 16 September 2018.

Podcasts

See also

References

Further reading