Ivan Milat

Ivan Milat is the serial killer who is responsible for the 1990s backpacker murders. He is currently serving a life sentence for the murder of 7 back packers throughout Australia.

First case

On 19 September 1992 Ken Seily discovered a unidentified decaying skeleton while out bushwalking in Sydney's Belangalo State Forest. The case began as a murder investigation to discover who this person was and who had killed her.

Second discovery

On 20 September 1992 Constables Roger Gough and Suzanne Roberts discovered a second body in Belangalo State Forest. Early media reports suggested that the bodies were of missing British backpackers Caroline Clarke and Joanne Walters, and hence the term backpacker murders was coined.

The case changed from murder to serial killer

On 25 December 1992 two other backpackers, Gabor Neugebauer and his girlfriend Anja Habschield had gone missing, and Gabor's parents, Manfred and Anke Neugebauer believed that the two bodies may be their missing back packers. Meanwhile, another backpacker, Simone Schmidl of Germany had gone missing in Sydney in 1991. To add to these, Deborah Everist and James Gibson, two backpackers from Frankston, Victoria were also missing in Sydney, and may also have been the bodies. Therefore, with 2 bodies, there were already 7 possibilities for who they were. However, Caroline Clarke and Joanne Walters were confirmed as the two initial victims. Media and police now believed that there was a strong possibility that all 7 missing back packers had been murdered by a serial killer, and the search began for more bodies.

Third discovery

In October 1993 , local man Bruce Pryor discovered parts of a skeleton that was believed to belong to a female in Belangalo State Forest. This re-opened searching.

Fourth discovery

When Bruce Pryor showed police where he had found the first skeleton, a second was also found by police, who immediately suspected Bruce Pryor of the murders.

Identification of the 3rd and 4th bodies

The 3rd and 4th bodies were identified as Deborah Everist and James Gibson. Police therefore believed with some certainty that they were looking for a serial killer, and that the 3 remaining missing back packers were also probably murdered by the same killer. But what police didn't yet know was whether Bruce Pryor, the man who had discovered the 3rd and 4th bodies, was the serial killer that they were looking for.

Ivan Milat is connected to the killings

At a local gun club, a man identifying himself as Alex Milat provided to police a detailed statement of incredible accuracy with regards to the movements of the missing tourists. Police believed that this statement was far too accurate, and Alex Milat became a suspect.

Fifth discovery

On 1 November 1993 a skull was found by Sergeant Jeff Trichter in a clearing in Belangalo State Forest, which was later identified as missing backpacker Simone Schmidl. Oddly, clothing found at the scene was not Simone's, but rather matched that of another missing backpacker, Anja Habschield. This led police to believe that all 7 missing back packers had been murdered, and that they would soon discover the remaining 2 bodies.

Sixth and Seventh discoveries

On 3 November 1993, the final 2 bodies, that of Anja Habschield and Gabor Neugebauer were also found in Belangalo State Forest.

Profile of the serial killer

Now that all of the expected 7 bodies had been discovered, the police task was to find the identity of the serial killer. Strangely to police, the crimes did not match any profile that existed for any prior serial killer – every murder was performed in a different way with apparently no link to the nature of the crime. Police began to question, therefore, whether they were looking for 1 serial killer or 7 working together.

The eye witness

English back packer Paul Onions called police on 13 November 1993 to inform them of his experience with a man he called "Bill", that he met on 25 January 1990 who had picked him up while hitch hiking. Police believed that this man "Bill" may be the serial killer that they were looking for.

Ivan Milat became the chief suspect

Due to his connection with the case, and Ivan Milat's interest in assisting police and providing incredible details about particulars of the murder, Ivan Milat became the chief suspect of police. Whilst others, such as Bruce Pryor remained a suspect, Ivan Milat appeared to be the most likely.

Ivan Milat identified as the serial killer

On 13 April 1994, Paul Onions positively identified Ivan Milat as the man who had picked him up.

Proof that Ivan Milat was the serial killer

During a raid on Ivan Milat's home at 6:30am on 22 May 1994, police found a post card that said "To Bill". When police asked Ivan Milat if he was known as Bill, he stated "They must have been mistaken".

Milat found guilty of the 7 deaths

On 27 July 1995, a jury found Ivan Milat guilty of the murders. He protested innocence, due to the lack of definite evidence, but the complex case of hearsay and referencing evidence was sufficient for the jury to find him guilty.

The conspiracy theory

A number of slightly different conspiracy theories have been produced, revolving primarily around the fact that there were no eye witnesses to any of the murders, Ivan Milat pleaded not guilty, and there is no irrefutable evidence to prove that Ivan Milat is responsible. Additionally, the fact that each of the 7 murders were perpetrated in entirely different ways suggest to many conspiracy theorists that these murders were conducted by not 1 person, but 7 (or possibly more) perpetrators, probably as part of a gang.

Main conspiracy theories:

• That Mark Brandon Read or gangsters related to him were guilty of the crimes.
• That other members of Ivan Milat's family helped him to commit the crimes.
• That there are many other back packers that were also killed (including that of 2 nurses in 1990)
• That the same person who committed these murders continued to murder back packers, and is also responsible for the murder of Peter Falconio

Police have not closed the case, and investigations are still ongoing.

References

• Crime Library profile, http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial_killers/predators/milat/discovery_1.html?sect=3
• Age article about possible extra inquiries, http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/01/24/1074732652603.html?from=storyrhs&oneclick=true
• Australian Story interview with Ivan Milat, http://www.abc.net.au/austory/content/2004/s1236866.htm