Unsolved The Family Murders

[Kurve]

The Who's Who List

• #2,647

VICTIMS
AB - Alan Barnes 16yo
NM - Neil Muir 25yo
PS - Peter Stogneff 14yo
ML - Mark Langley 18yo
RK- Richard Kelvin 15yo

• DS - Derrance Stevenson high risk lifestyle pornographer and criminal lawyer shot to death
• DS - David Szach convicted for the murder of criminal lawyer Derrence Stevenson

DECEASED
DSD - Denis St Denis hairdresser
RBD - Richard Dutton Brown the magistrate
PF - Pru Firman
SN - Sarah Novak
BG - Brian Gant
NB - Noel Brook also known as Di Di
TP - Trevor Peters of the diaries
PM - Dr. Peter Leslie Millhouse acquitted for the murder of Neil Muir

LIVING until further notice
BVE - Bevan von Einem also known as 'Bevbang' to inner circle and 'Vonnie' in the prison system
Mr R - The businessman name suppressed
SGW - Dr Stephen George Woodards
Mr. B - Teenage prostitute and informant name suppressed
JL - Jacquie the nurse mentioned in the ebook as a good friend of and who rented a unit close to BVEs unit we assume name suppressed?
LT - Lewis Turtur also known as 'Louie'
A - The older teenage boy Peter Stogneff's parents feel may have had something to do with their son's abduction
RR - Raymond Rozankowski who was a friend of BVE and lived in the same street as A

DK - Darko Kastellan assistant to Gambardella
GG - Gino Gambardella chiropractor fled to Italy

Out of Sight - The Untold Story of Adelaide's Gay Hate Murders

The Cases of Forensic Pathologist Colin Manock

Use this thread below to lodge media, maps and photos for quick reference.

Unsolved - The Family Murders - MEDIA

This thread may be used to post the Family Murders media related content. To include press and gathered photographs from various sources. Please feel free to post but as this is a no discussion thread, comments will be deleted or moved at discretion. WHO'S WHO VICTIMS AB - Alan Barnes 16yo...

www.bigfooty.com

 

[bth18]

"I'm Brenton Brainless and here are 20 crimes we've dug up from the past 30 years to appeal to conspiracy theorists'...

Bit like that, but I remembered there being footage of evidence and the ‘businessman’ in it - and just wanted to see what it was

 

[northernsoul]

Hello - Long time lurker first time poster. I was hoping to ask some of the Mods and long-time posters a couple of questions.

Firstly - what new information or leads/connections have been made on this forum? I read in one post someone saying that new light had been shed from this forum alone - could anyone point out what this might be?

Secondly - from a personal perspective, what makes you interested in this case? Is it being from SA? Growing up in this era? A sense of injustice? What motivates us/you to commit time and thinking to this particular case?

Many thanks all.

 

[johnymac1]

Hello - Long time lurker first time poster. I was hoping to ask some of the Mods and long-time posters a couple of questions.

Firstly - what new information or leads/connections have been made on this forum? I read in one post someone saying that new light had been shed from this forum alone - could anyone point out what this might be?

Secondly - from a personal perspective, what makes you interested in this case? Is it being from SA? Growing up in this era? A sense of injustice? What motivates us/you to commit time and thinking to this particular case?

Many thanks all.

As a lad, I worked for and old guy who was a bit dodgy. It was at a small workshop on Port Road in Woodville. One of his regular visitors was Steve Williams. The Family was all Steve ever talked about, but did discuss some Beaumont other disappearances. He was the first person I encountered actively researching the case. You could tell he had a genuine anger toward the abusers. He let slip he was abused as a child. Most of the stuff he talked about went in one ear and out the other. I simply didn't have an interest in the Family Murders at that stage in life. He did seem to have a knowledge of the case greater than what was released in the media. Although he didn't seem to keep any notes, all research was in his head.

Fast forward many years and I pick up the True Crime bug. I found myself wondering the streets of Glenelg. I was thinking Beaumont's and what Steve said about the Case. Steve dropped a name back the late 80s, a teacher. The person Steve mentioned, actually worked at the Bay Discovery Center in his retirement. I have no information on how Steve happened upon this name. But I do actively follow this line of research.

My own knowledge of the Family is very limited. I have a rough overview on how the Family operated. I've happened across two family members at their places of work. One encounter was brief, and the guy avoided eye contact. You are right, the Big Footy crime page is probably the best place to read up about the Family Murders. Luckily there are a few researchers still perusing the Family.

 

[bth18]

Firstly - what new information or leads/connections have been made on this forum? I read in one post someone saying that new light had been shed from this forum alone - could anyone point out what this might be?

Not sure about that one! wouldn't think the police would come out with any new information - last major update or lead made public was the discovery of the diary that I can think of

 

[Dell43]

As a lad, I worked for and old guy who was a bit dodgy. It was at a small workshop on Port Road in Woodville. One of his regular visitors was Steve Williams. The Family was all Steve ever talked about, but did discuss some Beaumont other disappearances. He was the first person I encountered actively researching the case. You could tell he had a genuine anger toward the abusers. He let slip he was abused as a child. Most of the stuff he talked about went in one ear and out the other. I simply didn't have an interest in the Family Murders at that stage in life. He did seem to have a knowledge of the case greater than what was released in the media. Although he didn't seem to keep any notes, all research was in his head.

Fast forward many years and I pick up the True Crime bug. I found myself wondering the streets of Glenelg. I was thinking Beaumont's and what Steve said about the Case. Steve dropped a name back the late 80s, a teacher. The person Steve mentioned, actually worked at the Bay Discovery Center in his retirement. I have no information on how Steve happened upon this name. But I do actively follow this line of research.

My own knowledge of the Family is very limited. I have a rough overview on how the Family operated. I've happened across two family members at their places of work. One encounter was brief, and the guy avoided eye contact. You are right, the Big Footy crime page is probably the best place to read up about the Family Murders. Luckily there are a few researchers still perusing the Family.

Interesting story about Steve Williams. Do you remember if he mentioned names of those he thought may be involved?

 

[johnymac1]

Interesting story about Steve Williams. Do you remember if he mentioned names of those he thought may be involved?

He did however mention Ladyboys but no specific names I remember. Not sure if he had any interest in male prostitution. But he had interests in running girls. He once asked if I wanted to earn extra cash driving girls
When he spoke about the Murders, it was more about the deposition of the bodies, Crime scenes and locations Not so much about the protagonists.
If he knew who they were, he would have surely confronted them. Either assaulting them or demanding money from them.
I had a few run-ins with him, receiving cracked ribs. Generally, I was wary of him and didn't always believe what he told us. After a few years I moved down south and had no contact with that group.

He would like the information that's turned up later years. However, I'm not sure if he knew any names back in the late eighties. In recent times remember visiting a business in the Barossa and running into a dodgy guy. I later discovered was Mr B.

I caught up with my boss many years later, he described Williams as dangerous. Must have been some falling out. In my time there, a few weapons passed through. I do have a theory about Steves disappearance, It may be BC related.

 

[theredrooster]

That's also something I would like to know!

Hi everyone, I'm a long time lurker on this thread and have been researching these harrowing crimes for quite some time now. After reading the three books about the cases and basically everything else you can find online, it's time for my first question around here: Has anyone ever heard von Einem talk? Does anyone know how his voice sounds or has seen his facial expressions? To me it feels kinda strange that no footage of him seems to be around...weren't some interviews the police had with him videotaped or recorded? Or is there any TV coverage that features him?

Also, I'm currently living outside of Australia and therefore I am unable to watch Debi Marshall's "Frozen Lies" on Foxtel. To anyone who has seen it, is it any good or worth watching?

Thank you so much in advance! Would be totally thankful for any response.

Outside of Australia, you can watch it on binge.com.au with a VPN on. I thought it was pretty interesting, and quite well done, and it has managed to keep the dialogue about this case flowing.

 

[theredrooster]

Update:

The 5 main suspects who police believe are the core group

Bevan Spencer Von Einem - Convicted of killing Richard Kelvin with no doubt about his guilt. Von Eimen was regularly picking up young males, drugging them and raping them, sometimes killing them. He is without a doubt the leader.

Under suppression - The Eastern suburbs business man (Mr R) - it's speculated that this man owned an inner city anique related shop for a number of years. He was close with Von Einem and was likely the second biggest player. At the time he lived with Dr Stephen George Woodards in St Peters. He was refered to as "Mr R" during court hearings. He still operates his business, just not in the eastern suburbs any more.

Denis St Denis - Owned a hairdressing salon in Hazelwood Park. Diaries recently uncover claim the writer saw von Einem and St Denis with pictures of Barnes after he disappeared but before he died. St Denis died in the 90s. St Denis allegedly cut Richard Kelvin's hair whilst he was in captivity. St Denis is also to have alleged to have rented a terrace house in the inner eastern suburbs with Von Einem and this is where the boys were held between abduction and death.

Dr Stephen George Woodards - Lived with the "Eastern suburbs business man" at the time but also had a high profile lawyer lover who was also allegedly involved. Woodards no doubt would have been the supplier of the date rape drugs at the time. Mark Langley had a 16cm incision from just above his penis to the navel area that was stitched up with cotton. Police have speculated this could have been to try to retrieve an object that was stuck in Langley and needed to be retrieved as this object may have had fingerprints. Could be the work of Woodards.

Under suppression - The Male Prostitute (Mr B) - Was in his early 20s at the time so was born circa 1960. Participated in many abductions, drugging, and raping of young men with Von Einem. He gave the police a lot of inside information on Von Einem and for the most part it correlates with the information the police have. Has know to live in Melbourne and Sydney since. His name is in the public domain for an unrelated case. He was most recently reported to be a bus driver in Brisbane

The people who police believe are Associates of the family

6. Pru Firman - a drag queen who lived in share house with 2 other drag queens in Alberton (shitty suburb). Lot's a drugs and date raping of young men going on here
7. Brother of Mike Turtur the Olympic Gold medalist - drag queen who live in Alberton share house
8. Drag Queen 3 - lived in same share house
9. High profile lawyer who was Woodards boyfriend
10 Donald Storen

• One of the drag queens is half maori, not sure which one.
• Also a guy called "Mario" was named in a court case as being present when von Einem met Alan Barnes at a city pub a few days before Barnes was murdered. Mr B and Stephen Woodards were also there. Could Mario be the first name of Woodards' high profile lawyer boyfriend who is also a suspect?

"Mario" is most likely Darko Kastelan (aka "Dario" and "Joe") --- the last person to apparently see Alan alive. He was a late teen in 1979, and as well as apparently knowing Von Einem he was also a known associate of Derrance Stevenson and in very close cahoots with Gino Gambardella in luring in boys. My belief is that Darko is the one person who could unlock this entire case. He would be about 63-64 years old and is still alive and is living in Adelaide, working as a tradesman. Sic 'Em Rex!

 

[theredrooster]

I looked this guy up and his career started in 1979 so I doubt if he would have been "high profile" by then?

The "high profile lawyer" referenced is former Adelaide magistrate Richard Brown, who died, after having been publicly shamed for other sexual offenses, in 2010. Brown was a former boyfriend of Dr Stephen Woodards (who has also now been publicly shamed for being sordid) -- who lived at the time, or at some time around this time, with Mr R (the highly-implicated and often-written-about "Eastern Suburbs business man"). Google "Mr R The Family" and something interesting appears prominently at the top of the Reddit feed.

 

[jason_recliner]

Google "Mr R The Family" and something interesting appears prominently at the top of the Reddit feed.

What's that? I tried but couldn't see it. Cheers

 

[theredrooster]

The Family

Any person complicit in the abduction, rape and murders of the five victims, plus any person who visited the place of captivity when a victim was knowingly present, plus any person involved in the abduction, spiking and raping of young boys/men at the transgender share house in Alberton.

The Victims

Alan Arthur Barnes

• Age: 16
• Date of abduction: June 17, 1979
• Date body found: June 24, 1979
• Location of body: Under the old bridge at South Para Reservoir
• Died from blood loss due to massive anal injuries
• Held for days, tortured and beaten
• Had Noctec and alcohol in his system
• His body had been cleaned and he had been redressed in someone else's clothes
  
  
  
• Lived with family out in Salisbury but regularly spent weekends in city
• His closest friend was Darko Kastelan. They regularly frequented the gay haunts together so it's probable they had a sexual relationship
• Was dabbling in drugs, allegedly including heroin
• The night before he went missing he stayed at Darko's house in Cheltenham. The next day was a Sunday, they both planned to hitchhike to Alan's home in Salisbury. Darko's brother dropped them at a bus stop near the corner of on Grand Junction Rd and Allenby Rd. Darko soon returned home. A witness saw Alan hitchhiking and saw a white station wagon pull over to pick him up.
• Mr B testified in 1990 that he was in that white station wagon with BVE
  
  
  
• In the weeks leading up to his murder he was witnessed by Gary Place at the Gateway Hotel on North Tce with BVE and Woodards and then a week later with the same people at either the same hotel or a different hotel.
• According to Debi Marshall, Darko was with Gino Gambardella when they first met David Szach. They picked Szach up and went back to Derrance Stephenson's house where they all had sex (according to David Szach)
• Darko worked at Gino Gambardella's chiropractic clinic.
• Also according to Debi Marshall, Alan worked at refilling vending machines. One of the businesses on his run was Pipeline Supplies, the business where BVE was the accountant.
• It is believed Alan had a pending rape charge against him (the victim was female). It has been implied (but not confirmed) that Derrance Stevenson was his representation. The day after Derrance Stevenson's murder a young man went to legal aid requesting representation and remarked that "Derrance was in no shape to represent him". It is believed this young man was Alan Barnes.
• It's possible he was at Derrance Stephenson's house on the night he was murdered. This is unconfirmed as it is also unconfirmed they knew each other.

Neil Frederick Muir

• Age: 25
• Date of abduction: August 27, 1979
• Date body found: August 28 1979
• Location of body: Mutton Cove on the shore of the Port Adelaide River
• Died from blood loss due to massive anal injuries
• His remains had been dissected and neatly cut into many pieces, placed in a garbage bag and thrown into the Port River at Port Adelaide. Skin bearing tattoos had been removed and most of the body parts were placed in another garbage bag before being placed within the abdominal cavity
• In addition to his limbs being sawed off, Neil's genitals had been mutilated by his killer. His penis had been cut and he was missing a testicle.
• Not able to do toxicity test because internal organs missing
  
  
  
  
  
• Heroin addict
• Suspected prostitute
• Lived on Carrington St, Adelaide in a doss house
• Regularly frequented the gay haunts so assumed to be gay
• Was at the Buck and the Duke on the night before he was discovered. Was very intoxicated.
• Had a sexual relationship with BVE four years earlier

Peter Stogneff

• Age: 14
• Date of abduction: August 27 1981
• Date body found: June 23 1982
• Location of body: On side of road at Two Wells
  
  
  
  
  
• Wasn't found until 10 months later and had been burned from a farmer back-burning so only skeleton remain.
• Couldn't determine COD or toxicity but he had been cut up like Neil Muir and then accidentally burned by the farmer who was back burning. It was only that the scrub was removed by fire that his remains were exposed.
• Wagged school and caught train from Tea Tree Plaza to Rundle Mall

Mark Andrew Langley

• Age: 18
• Date of abduction: Feb 27 1982
• Date body found: Mar 8 1982
• Location of body: In scrub off Sprigg Road, Piccadilly
• Died from blood loss due to massive anal injuries
  
  
  
  
  
• Among the mutilations was a wound that appeared to have been cut with a surgical instrument that went from his navel to the pubic region and part of his small bowel was missing. The hair around the area had been shaved as it would have been in an operation in a hospital. SAPOL speculate that some evidence got stuck in his bowel after being inserted in his rectum so the captors had to operate to recover it.
• Mandrax in his system
• Washed and dressed in same clothes
• Likely to have been killed and dumped within 48 hours of abduction
• Had attended party in Windsor Gardens but left with a male and female. 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. The male and female drove off but returned minutes later to retrieve him and he had gone.

Richard Kelvin

• Age: 15
• Date of abduction: June 5, 1983
• Date body found: July 24 1983
• Location of body: In scrub next to airstrip on Airstrip Rd near Kersbrook
• Died of massive blood loss from an anal injury, likely caused by the insertion of a large blunt object
• Mandrax, Noctec, Rohypnol, Valium and Amatel
  
  
  
  
  
• Washed and redressed
• There was evidence his hair had been cut in captivity
• Had been held captive and brutally tortured for approximately 5 weeks
• Abducted near O'Connell St, North Adelaide
• Lived with his parents at Ward St, North Adelaide

The Suspects

Bevan Spencer von Einem

• Age in 1979 - 33
  
  
  
  
  
• Convicted of murder of Richard Kelvin
• Lived in Paradise with his Mum during the time at 13/3 Rowney Ave and 7 Day St. You can see those abodes here:
• Worked as an accountant at Pipeline Supplies of Australia which was on South Rd in Regency Park
• In 1990 he was charged with the murders of Alan Barnes and Mark Langley on the basis of evidence provided by co-suspect Mr B. Police dropped the charges because Mr B's credibility became more and more into question - he was saying BVE was responsible for the Beaumonts and the Adelaide Oval abductions.
• Had a sexual relationship with victim Neil Muir approximately four years before Muir's death
• According to Mr B, BVE's favoured place to cruise for hitchhikers was from the cnr of King William St and North Terrace, over the City Bridge, through North Adelaide where King William changes into O'Connell St, and then a right turn up Main North Rd to The Big Scotsman Motel on the corner of Nottage Terrace. He would cruise that route up and down, looking for victims.

Mr R

• Age in 1979 - approx same age as BVE
• Often referred to as "the business man"
• Still runs his business. Now in Unley Rd
• Was living with co-suspect Stephen George Woodards at the time
• SAPOL believe he was heavily involved
• Would arrive at the Alberton transgender house to abuse young men and boys that BVE had already drugged and r*ped.
• SAPOL believe he was in the car when Kelvin was abducted and was in the car shortly after Barnes was picked up
• Mr B testified in 1990 that he was in BVE's car when they by chance saw and picked up Alan Barnes hitch-hiking. BVE gave Barnes some alcohol and sedatives and then went and called Mr R who arrived shortly after. Mr B conveniently claimed he then left BVE and Mr R with a now unconscious Barnes, but not before BVE invited him to come along and "do some surgery".

Mr B

• Age in 1979 - 20
• Former child prostitute
• He met BVE in 1979
• Last known whereabouts were as a bus driver in Brisbane
• SAPOL believe he was heavily involved
• Two days after Alan Barnes was found he called police and told them it was BVE.
• Mr B made a lot of statements about BVE from day one. He told police in the original investigation about how he and BVE were picking up hitchhikers, drugging them, and raping them. He's a dodgy guy but police believe his information to be true. He told them stuff that over time matched up with what they discovered about BVE.
• Testified against BVE in 1990 (in case re Barnes and Langley) and claimed he was in BVE's car when they picked up Barnes. He then testified that BVE drugged Barnes then called Mr R who arrived shortly after to join in. He conveniently claimed he then left BVE and Mr R with a now unconscious Barnes, but not before BVE invited him to come along and "do some surgery". SAPOL believe otherwise.
• Mr B always claimed he left just before BVE murdered people. "I was there, didn't like it, left, then met up with BVE two weeks later to pick up and rape dome more dudes". Police think he was a lot more involved that he made out. One police officer thinks this guy has serial killer like qualities.
• In 1990 (State v BVE re Barnes and Langley) Mr B testified;
• On a number of occasions he was present when the accused had picked up young men who were hitchhiking and given them alcohol and tablets.
• On one occasion he had seen the accused with a naked youth in the bedroom of a home to which the youth had been taken. The youth had a torch and an instrument similar to a large stainless steel crochet hook in his anus.
• He had been with the accused when the accused had given Barnes a lift in his car. He said that the incident took place while Barnes was hitchhiking near the northern parklands. Barnes said he wanted a lift to Salisbury. While in the car Barnes was given some drinks and tablets. He was asked if he wanted to go to a party and he said "Yes". The accused (BVE) drove back towards North Adelaide and stopped at a cafe. Later he stopped and made a telephone call. He told Mr B. that he had rung a man named Mr R and that he had arranged to meet Mr R near the toilets on the River Torrens bank, adjacent to the City bridge. Mr B. said the accused met and spoke to Mr R at this location. When the accused returned to the car he said to Mr B. "Do you want to come with us and do some surgery on this guy?" In response to a question from Mr B. the accused said that Mr R was going to come along. Mr B. said he left at this stage and walked up to the city. Throughout the time that they were in the vicinity of the toilets Barnes appeared to be unconscious in the rear seat of the vehicle.
• However a statement from Mr B's sister, which was read to the court yesterday, said he had admitted to her that he was present when Barnes was killed.

Stephen George Woodards

• Age in 1979 - 29
• A doctor
• SAPOL believe he was supplying BVE with date rape drugs such as Mandrax
• Mark Langley had been cut open with surgical instrument and part of his bowel missing. SAPOL speculate his captors had to remove something they had placed and lost in his rectum. SAPOL suspect Woodards did the work.
  
  
  
  
  
• SAPOL believe he was heavily involved
• Now working as a doctor in Sydney
• His lover was Richard Brown
• He was living with Mr R at the time
• SAPOL were investigating Woodards and his lover Brown for drugging and raping young men (this was before the Family murders)
• He was charged in 2011 on 5 counts of raping a male under 17. The charges didn't stick because it couldn't be proven that the victims were under 17 at the time.
• http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/...-george-woodards/story-e6frea83-1226074925805

Richard Dutton Brown

• Age in 1979 - 30
• He was appointed to the Magistrate's Bench in 1979 as a 30 year old
• Often referred to as "the high profile lawyer"
  
  
  
  
  
• Died in 2010 aged 62
• At the time he was in a relationship with co-suspect Stephen Woodards
• SAPOL SAPOL were investigating Brown and his lover Woodards for drugging and raping young males (this is before the Family murders investigation)
  
  
  
  
  
• http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/ipad/...sought-young-men/story-fn6bqphm-1225971117982

Denis St Denis

• BVE's hairdresser friend
• Had a salon in Hazelwood Park
  
  
  
  
  
• His nickname was "Pussy"
• BVE went to his salon and had his dyed the day after Kelvin went missing
• Allegedly rented a unit with BVE in the inner eastern suburbs - maybe Norwood, Kent Town or Dulwich. Both lived with their mothers and needed a place to take young men/boys.
• Diaries of one of his friends (Trevor Peters) were found that document suspicious discussions between BVE and St Denis, as well as the witnessing of photos of an unconscious Alan Barnes
• Kelvin was in captivity for 5 weeks and in that time his hair had been cut. SAPOL believe this was St Denis
• https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news...y/news-story/eaf66c4823f20f55981177c02d2bb657

Lewis "Lana" Turtur

• Age in 1979 - 26
• He is a transvestite/drag queen. Has not had an operation
• Shared a house in Alberton with Firman and Miss K
• Allowed BVE to regularly come by with guys he had drugged so he could rape them (BVE that is). BVE would supply Turtur Mandrax for letting him use their house
  
  
  
  
• SAPOL believe one or more of the transgenders were in BVE's car when Kelvin was abducted
• Moved to Sydney soon after. Still lives there.
• SAPOL don't think he/she was heavily involved but think they may have known where the boys/men were being held
• In the 1990 court case (State v BVE re Barnes and Langley), Turtur gave evidence that the accused had given one youth an enema and on another occasion he had seen a torch light showing from under the bed clothes when the accused was in bed with a youth.
• https://www.skynews.com.au/details/_6086379460001

Prue Firman

• A post-op transgender
• Died 2010
• Lived at the Alberton share house with Turtur and Miss K
• Moved to Sydney with Turtur and Miss K after BVE trial
• Returned to Adelaide and lived at 46 Shipsters Rd, Kensington Park with Sarah Novak. Next door to Trevor Peters whose diaries were found by his brother after his death. This diaries spoke about the Family and named the names that are named here. A link to this article can be found under Denis St Denis.
• She is one of the "girls" who were used by BVE to lure males into his car.
• Between Langley and Kelvin she picked up a boy with BVE. He was drugged. Firman had sex with him before he blacked out and the BVE did his thing. She was charged with rape but was acquitted because it couldn't be proven that it wasn't consensual

Miss K

• A post-op transgender
• Lived at the Alberton share house with Turtur and Firman
• Moved to Sydney with Turtur and Firman after BVE trial
• Helped BVE pick up guys
• One of the transgenders is half Maori. Could be Miss K but also could be Brooks or Gant
• It's also possible Miss K is Sarah Novak
• Not much else is known. In Frozen Lies her name is beeped out when Turtur refers to her.

Sarah Novak

• A post-op transgender
• Lived next door to Trevor Peters at 46 Shipsters R, Kensington Park with Firman

Brian Gant

• Transgender
• He is a transvestite/drag queen. Has not had an operation
• Sometimes r*ped unconscious boys that BVE brought back to the transgender house (after BVE had finished with them)

Donald Storen

• It's unclear as to his involvement

The Gay Bars

• The Mars Bar - 120 Gouger St, Adelaide
• The Green Dragon - Cnr South Tce and Pulteney St, Adelaide
• The Duke of York - 82 Currie St, Adelaide
• Buckingham Arms "The Buck" - 1 Walkerville Terrace, Gilberton
• Patches - 142 North Terrace
• The Colonel Light - Light Square

The Gay Beats

• No 1 beat: The park land on the corner of King Williams Rd and Victoria Drive. Immediately south of Jolly's boatshed. Also extended to the banks of the Torrens
• Veale Gardens - lots of young male prostitutes worked these gardens
• Unly Rd - between South Terrace and Greenhill Rd
• Glenn Osmand Rd - between South Terrace and Greenhill Rd

Maps











In a nutshell, what happened?

• BVE was the main man
• The 1970s were loose. Smoking on planes, no seat belts, letting your kids go wherever they wanted without supervision etc. With that came the seediness kind of loose. Think Taxi Driver. That same sort of seediness was in our capital cities as well and Adelaide was no exception. Consider Kings X in Sydney at the time, the Wall in Sydney or the rent boys working the gay beats of Adelaide. No one today would accept underage boys selling their bodies for sex along a wall in Taylor Square, a major intersection in Sydney. That's simply outrageous but that was par for the course in the 1970s
• Homosex was only legalised in 1975. Gay people could come out of the shadows. A burgeoning scene popped up with a number of sub scenes.
• 44 year old high profile lawyer Derrance Stevenson headed up one scene where one of his close associates would trawl Adelaide's CBD for vulnerable street kids and bring them to Stevenson's house. Stevenson was regularly holding debauched parties and having sex with underage teenagers. That's pretty overt and risky behaviour for a high profile lawyer, but it was the 1970s.
• BVE had his own scene going. He along with Mr B and Mr R, and with the help of the Transgender 3 were drugging and raping you male victims.
• Concurrently, a high profile magistrate and his doctor lover were also drugging and raping young men.
• In other parts of Adelaide, young (underage) men who were wards of the state were being targeted for sex. Many were working as rent boys in Veale Gardens and other beats where men would pay them for sex.
• It seemed like there was competition to get to the young and vulnerable teenagers first to exploit them before someone else did. It was normal for some of these predators to ask young men they were in company of to help them find other young vulnerable men.
• It just seemed that at that time, within the gay scene, this sort of behaviour seemed par for the course. It seemed normalised and remained unchecked until it escalated to murder. Even then, people remained silent.
• BVE was regularly picking up young guys, giving them a spiked drink, and then taking them to a house and raping them. He lived at home with his Mum. If his Mum was away, he'd take them to his place. If not, he'd got to the house near Port Adelaide that was shared by transgenders Turtur, Firman and Brooks.
• Turtur would let BVE bring drugged boys back in exchange for drugs (Mandrax).
  Turtur, Firman and Hill would sometimes be used as bait to pick up young men. BVE would promise alcohol, drugs, girls, sex etc. Once he got the boys back there he would spike their drinks or convince them the pill he was giving them was an upper and would keep them awake.
• It's believed as many as 150 boys were drugged and r*ped. Nine victims of BVE testified at the 1990 trial.
• Mandrax (aka Quaaludes) was this social circle's drug of choice. Quaaludes were huge in the 70s and early 80s before being banned. The Wolf of Wall St was all over them. Gay people liked them because they were a muscle relaxant and made it easier to have anal sex. BVE liked them for drugging and raping boys.
• BVE associated with different pockets of the gay scene. He used the transgender share house to take boys, he hung around young boys like Mr B, Neil Muir and Alan Barnes. His closest associate was Mr R. These are people who would aid and abet him in abductions.
• Once this loose group of associates had been established for a while, it escalated. But from where the group were, going that extra bit further wasn't a massive stretch. All of a sudden victims are being murdered, tortured and being held for weeks at a time.
• There's no way you can find around 10 people who are okay with abduction, rape, body mutilation and murder within a small community. It was the culture within that community at the time which enabled people to think this sort of stuff was "ok" or "not that bad".

Other Players

Darko Kastelan

• Close friend of Alan Barnes, possibly his lover
• Barnes would often stay at Darko's house on weekends as Darko lived in Cheltenham which was closer to the CBD than where Barnes lived at Salisbury
• Darko and Barnes would patronise the bars in the gay scene
• Darko worked for Gino Gambardella at his chiropractic clinic
• It is alleged that in approximately 1976 when David Szach first turned up homeless in the CBD, that he was picked up by regular procurer of teenage boys, Gino Gambardella who has Darko in tow. Gino took Szach to Derrance Stevenson's house and introduced him where soon after the four had group sex
• There is no suggestion that Darko was involved in the Family
• Now goes by the name Dario

Miss Russell

• Miss Russell was a work colleague of BVE. She would socialise at The Mars Bar and was aware BVE was picking up young men.
• In the 1990 "State v BVE" case in relation to the murders of Alan Barnes and Mark Langley, Miss Russell made a testimony
• Excerpt, "Miss Russell said that on one occasion the accused admitted to her that he had placed his fist inside the anus of one youth he had picked up and that he had also placed surgical instruments inside the youth's anus. She also alleged that the accused admitted placing his fist in the anus of a youth at the Flinders Medical Centre"

Derrance Stevenson

• High profile gay lawyer who was murdered on June 4 or June 5, 1979
• He was shot in the back of the head and put into his own freezer which was super-glued shut
• He was 44 years of age at the time
• His 19 year old lover David Szach was found guilty of the murder
• Derrance had been in a sexual relationship with Szach since Szach was 16
• He held parties often that consisted of a lot of sex with underage boys (the age of consent at the time was 17)
• Derrance's close confidant Gino Gambardella would regularly procure underage teenage boys for Derrance
• The day after Stevenson's murder, a young man with blonde hair was waiting outside Legal Aid until it opened. Once it opened he requested. Upon being asked, "why don't you wait for Derrance", he responded with, "I saw Derrance last night and he was in no state to defend anybody". It is speculated that man was Alan Barnes and that he was there with regards to pending rape charges he was facing. It hasn't yet been confirmed if Stevenson was already representing Barnes but it looks like Barnes was there to get a new lawyer.
• Alan Barnes was murdered two weeks later.
• Darko worked for Gambardella. Gambardella was regularly procuring teenage boys for Stevenson. Darko knew Stevenson. Darko was close to Alan Barnes. Alan Barnes was reported to socialise with BVE.
• There's no evidence Stevenson was in the Family. He hosted gay parties at home where he had boys brought to him and regularly committed statutory rape (even though it was likely consensual). BVE and his crew were coercing young men into a car, convincing them that there was a party with lots of drugs, booze and women, and then drugging and raping them. It's highly likely they knew each other but they had different things going on with different crews. It's unlikely Derrance was venturing down the Port Rd to Alberton to hang out with some transgenders at Alberton.

Gino Gambardella

• A chiropractor who liked teenage boys
• Would cruise the CBD looking for vulnerable young men who he would offer them opportunities to hang out with Derrance Stevenson
• Had Darko Kastelan working for him at his clinic. He would sometimes take Darko on his pick up missions
• Was charged as an accessory to Stevenson's murder so fled to his native Italy
• No evidence he was in the Family

Gary Wayne Place

• A witness who testified in the 1990 "State v BVE" case
• Alleged he was with Alan Barnes on multiple occasions in the weeks leading up to Barnes' death and with Barnes, socialised with BVE and Woodards.
• "Mr. Place told the court that Alan Barnes had introduced Von Einem one Saturday at an Adelaide hotel about a week before his murder. Barnes had also introduced three other people with Von Einem — a doctor whose name sounded like Goodard, a man called Mario, and a woman. There had been talk about a party that night where there would be "women, drugs, booze — anything you like."
  Later that week Place and Barnes had gone to a hotel where Von Einem had told him (Place) that if he provided sex, he would get "drugs, women, anything" and the same things would be provided if he brought along some young lads."
• Who is "Mario"? Is it Gino Gambardella? Is it Darko Kastelan?
• Who is the women? Is it one of the Transgender 3? Is it "Miss Russell"?

Unlikely to be involved

Dr Peter Leslie Millhouse

• Was charged with the murder of Neil Muir
• He knew Muir and was spotted with Muir over the days before his death
• There was some good circumstantial evidence against Millhouse but he was acquitted at a trial in 1980
• Although Millhouse could have been in with BVE and the Family for Barnes and then gone dormant while the others carried on, it's more likely he just wasn't involved at all.
• https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news...w/news-story/135a05955f591eea50b8438fcce08e44

Max McIntyre

• His daughter Rachel Vaughan claimed she witnessed Richard Kelvin being held and tortured in the cellar when she was a young girl. She says she was also witness to her father abuse and murder 10 year old Louise Bell.
• Dieter Pfennig has since been found guilty of her murder. Pfennig was already serving a life sentence with a non-parole period of 38 years — later reduced to 25 years due to a sentencing legislation change in SA — for murdering Murray Bridge boy Michael Black in 1989 and later abducting and raping a 13-year-old boy.
• Pfennig's DNA was found on Louise Bell's pyjamas
• https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-12...pfennig-sentenced-35-years-non-parole/8095906

Ric Marshall

• Marshall was a pedophile and his victims were pre-pubescent (around the 11-12yo mark)
• https://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-12-13/former-tv-entertainer-sentenced-for-sex-offences/4425734

Peter Liddy

• Like Marshall, Liddy was also a pedophile and his interest was in pre-pubescent boys
• http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/paedo...rs-prison-attack/story-e6frea6u-1226219014614

Robert William Symonds (Mother Goose)

• A gay guy who was cruising the gay beats in Adelaide in the 1970s and 1980s
• One teenage prostitute named Brad Shannon alleges Mother Goose took him to his North Adelaide home in 1984 and drugged him and r*ped him
• No evidence he was in the Family
• http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-06-07/mother-goose-sex-trial-starts-in-adelaide/2749578

** If anyone has any updates or spots any errors, just let me know.

Bravo, Paul! I also believe you are very close to the truth here.

 

[Poppy Penny]

Bravo, Paul! I also believe you are very close to the truth here.

Excellent post Paul.

 

[bth18]

There can be a bit of confusion/mix up around 'Mr R' - in any media from the time of the Barnes/Langley pre-trial for BVE that has witness testimony, this isn't 'The Businessman' he didn't take the stand at all, the witness 'Mr R' is Brian Gant, whose name is no longer suppressed.

Essentially in that pre-trial witnesses were all mostly suppressed so Mr/s A B C D.. etc were used in the media

 

[Soldier Of Misfortune]

The only evidence that there was anybody else in the car with BVE at the time Richard was taken, is someone saying they heard what sounded like a woman yelling. That may not have been connected at all to the abduction. BVE is very tall and powerful, he probably could have handled Richard on his own and we know that Richard sustained a serious head injury, which may have happened on trying to get him in the car.

I would think that it'd almost be a necessity to have someone else in the car for abductions unless you had the skill/luck to knock the victim out quickly and effectively. How do you drive with an unhappy captive in the back/passenger seat? There was already a big element of risk in an abduction but trying it out by yourself would be an extreme element of risk. You'd think that unless you had immediately gotten the person into an unconscious or heavily drugged state that you're going to have to have 'handlers' in the back seat to keep things from going haywire.

 

[Soldier Of Misfortune]

In recent times remember visiting a business in the Barossa and running into a dodgy guy. I later discovered was Mr B.

can anyone else confirm this? First I've heard of Mr B being in SA again with last (?) reference to being in Toowoomba(?).

Seems like being in SA wouldn't be the safest place - he can't be in anyone's good books.

 

[Soldier Of Misfortune]

excuse all the question at once (I've actually got a bunch more that I'll drip feed rather than flood the forum - best to keep the conversation alive rather than drowned):

Did we ever get any sort of official record (media or preferably court statements) regarding Richard's 'haircut'? From all the dehumanising involved in all the crimes, taking a break to give a victim a haircut seems extremely unlikely.

 

[AdelaideGT]

The "high profile lawyer" referenced is former Adelaide magistrate Richard Brown,

Richard Brown was a QC by then. A doddering old man who would sometimes fall asleep at the bar (pub not legal bar). I think the 'high profile lawyer referred to was 'Bob L' who 'Doctor Steve' lived with for a time in North Adelaide.

 

[Soldier Of Misfortune]

the 'high profile lawyer referred to was 'Bob L'

fights the urge to think of Bob Loblaw and fails

 

[AdelaideGT]

Bob Loblaw

who? no not him

 

[Butters and Pepper]

Would be interesting to know whether Adelaide/SA has had an above average amount of judicial officers (Brown/Liddy/others? ) in 70s/80s linked to these types of offences/crimes/allegations, or whether this state is an outlier compared to other jurisdictions in the country.

 

[Soldier Of Misfortune]

has everyone seen the article "Brother's heartache over vanished twin" in The Advertiser today? Brother of Daniel Sheppard keeping his disappearance in the spotlight and his belief that it was something organised "akin to the family". Wish he had of shone the spotlight on the fact that if you have a group of serial killers and jail only one it's unlikely for the problem to stop. I hope he sees some justice applied some day.

 

[Soldier Of Misfortune]

Woah ... Mr R is putting money into his account for buy-ups? Do you have a link please? I must have missed it, the ebook suggests it was an older guy called Dempsey (iirc) that von Einem was getting the most support from.

how would anyone have info on who was putting funds into BVE's bank account while he's in jail? The theories that he's been well funded while in jail seem suspect in regards to his friend Paul's account of him being really hurt that he lost $1000.00 that he loaned to another jailbird who never repaid it.

What can you actually spend your money on in jail anyway?

 

[jason_recliner]

how would anyone have info on who was putting funds into BVE's bank account while he's in jail? The theories that he's been well funded while in jail seem suspect in regards to his friend Paul's account of him being really hurt that he lost $1000.00 that he loaned to another jailbird who never repaid it.

What can you actually spend your money on in jail anyway?

Legitimately/officially one can use one's money (in a jail 'bank' account) for 'spends', such as food, drinks, video games, clothing items (e.g. better sneakers), and tobacco. Long term inmates, depending on housing, may also be able to buy items for their accommodation e.g. seeds, plants and gardening items. Unofficially, a lot of transactions take place outside of the jail between friends and family members, and other criminals (e.g. drugs, protection, gambling, loans).

 

[nominal_port_supporter]

has everyone seen the article "Brother's heartache over vanished twin" in The Advertiser today? Brother of Daniel Sheppard keeping his disappearance in the spotlight and his belief that it was something organised "akin to the family". Wish he had of shone the spotlight on the fact that if you have a group of serial killers and jail only one it's unlikely for the problem to stop. I hope he sees some justice applied some day.

I think it's already been discussed previously here, but the consensus seems to be that the Sheppard disappearance likely isn't linked to The Family. I also think it's unlikely the perpetrators in this case continued abducting and killing young men in Adelaide for various reasons after BVE's arrest - although it is of course possible.

 

[Butters and Pepper]

I can't recall too many other teenagers/20 something males disappearing randomly in Adelaide in recent years. The ones that have its usually been speculated that they had links to drug dealers.

So I'm thinking that while the Daniel Shepherd disappearance could be linked to the Fanily, there doesn't seem to be a pattern in recent years. A Google search says that Shepherd may
have had drug debts - I have no idea about the accuracy of that.

It seems a bit weird given he got off the train after 4am that someone would have known of his movements, unless someone was following
him or it was very unfortunate coincidence that someone who was after him happened to be on same train, or happened to be in vicinity of train station at early hours of the morning.

I'm wondering if there was any chance that he could have been hit by a car, and someone disposed of the body. But then again, car v pedestrian would likely make enough noise to be heard by someone, even in the middle of the night.