logo
Chilling new evidence in harrowing ‘Mr Cruel' investigation

Chilling new evidence in harrowing ‘Mr Cruel' investigation

News.com.au12 hours ago
Fresh details have emerged in the decades long hunt for 'Mr Cruel', the predator behind a series of shocking child rapes and the suspected murder of Melbourne schoolgirl Karmein Chan.
A police insider has revealed new details in the over 30-year hunt for 'Mr Cruel', the notorious child rapist and suspected murderer who terrorised the suburbs of Melbourne.
Associate Professor David Wells, who was a forensic physician with Victoria Police at the time of the attacks, told the Crime Insiders podcast he had personally collected crucial genetic evidence that could still be the key to unmasking Mr Cruel's true identity.
He also shared a chilling theory that Mr Cruel may have been a police or forensics expert.
Another clue David shared with the podcast was that Mr Cruel may have been living with a back injury, given the way he moved and positioned his victims.
Mr Cruel was infamous for leaving almost no forensic trace.
'He either held these children or washed them repeatedly so that any, for instance, trace DNA would be removed from their skin,' Wells said.
Wells told host Dr Liz Porter the meticulous cleanups pointed to a disturbing possibility.
'It got us thinking a little bit, is it one of us?'
'The level of sophistication of removing this evidence was such that it smacked of that.'
Wells says he still managed to find a genetic clue that could be the key to cracking the case.
'It's something that might allow his genetic make-up to be identified but...you need someone to compare it with first,' Wells said.
In a shocking new theory, police also suspect the serial child rapist may have suffered a back injury, based on how he moved and positioned his victims.
Investigators even contacted the Medical Board, asking whether any doctors had patients matching the offender's description.
'This is a new area because you're asking doctors to divulge confidential information...The argument is providing this information is likely to result in prevention of further very, very damaging acts of behaviour and although it might breach the confidentiality it is justified for the greater need of the public,' Wells said.
According to Wells, the medical profession was very supportive, and 'a considerable number' of people were reviewed.
In one eerie twist, Wells recalled being in a taxi when the driver used a phrase identical to one Mr Cruel was known for. He immediately alerted investigators.
'They rang me a couple of days later and said... we knocked on his [the taxi drivers] door and he said he immediately started sweating, became very agitated, so we took him back to the police station and interviewed him,'
'He had a very strong alibi...but in the questioning process, he did admit to offences against children.'
Although he wasn't Mr Cruel, the taxi driver was charged and convicted.
In a rare glimpse behind the case's emotional toll, Wells recalled reuniting one young survivor with her family after she'd been missing for days, and who they believed to be dead.
'Everyone was in tears, myself included,' he said.
'They're one of the little highs you get. There's not a lot in this job.'
As for whether Mr Cruel will ever be unmasked, Wells is uncertain.
'He may have stopped this behaviour which...I don't know that he would.'
'He may have died, he may have moved to another region or he may be incapacitated in some way. But it's certainly a series of crimes that really did damage the innocence of a lot of people's lives.'
The investigation remains active. In April 2016, on the 25th anniversary of Karmein Chan's abduction and murder, Victoria Police increased the reward for information from $100,000 to $1 million.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

One man dead, another seriously injured in shooting outside Forest Lodge pub in Sydney's inner-city
One man dead, another seriously injured in shooting outside Forest Lodge pub in Sydney's inner-city

ABC News

timean hour ago

  • ABC News

One man dead, another seriously injured in shooting outside Forest Lodge pub in Sydney's inner-city

One man has died and another has been seriously injured in a shooting outside a hotel in Sydney's inner-city. Police were called to The Harold Hotel on Ross Street in Forest Lodge about 6:40pm, following reports of a public place shooting. When officers arrived, they found two people had been shot multiple times by unknown people who fled in a car. Paramedics treated the two men at the scene, but one could not be saved. The other man was treated for gunshot wounds and was taken to hospital in a serious condition. Detectives have cordoned off part of the street with police tape, as a manhunt for the gunmen continues. Nearby resident Imogen said she heard about six "really loud bangs" but initially mistook them for fireworks. "I saw some people running across the road, so away from where the sound was coming from, and a few other people running up the road," she said. "It hasn't quite hit me yet. My family had just arrived to mine maybe 10 minutes earlier so to think they were walking at the same time [is] a bit scary." Ivan and Charlotte said they heard a number of shots. "There was probably eight to ten gunshots, and then a pause, and then another half dozen maybe," Ivan said. Charlotte said the man who was taken to hospital was conscious as paramedics treated him. "He'd been shot multiple times, maybe six times," Charlotte said. "He'd been shot in the neck, the chest, the abdomen, arms, legs, just everywhere." #moretocome

Man killed, another fighting for life after alleged shooting at pub in Forest Lodge
Man killed, another fighting for life after alleged shooting at pub in Forest Lodge

News.com.au

time2 hours ago

  • News.com.au

Man killed, another fighting for life after alleged shooting at pub in Forest Lodge

A manhunt is under way after an alleged shooting at a pub in Sydney's inner west, leaving one man dead and another fighting for life. Emergency services were rushed to The Harold at Forest Lodge about 6.40pm Sunday after reports of gunfire. NSW Police allege two men were shot 'multiple times' by unknown people before they fled the scene in a car. NSW paramedics treated one man at the scene, who was transported to the Royal Prince Alfred hospital in a serious condition, a spokesman told NewsWire. One man was treated at the scene by paramedics but died, police confirmed in a statement. Witnesses told The Daily Telegraph staff locked the entrance to the pub as patrons sheltered under tables. The pub has since been evacuated by police, and paramedics remain on the scene. A crime scene has been established, with detectives and the homicide squad commencing an investigation.

Woman charged after allegedly releasing pepper spray inside Canberra nightclub
Woman charged after allegedly releasing pepper spray inside Canberra nightclub

News.com.au

time2 hours ago

  • News.com.au

Woman charged after allegedly releasing pepper spray inside Canberra nightclub

A woman has been charged after allegedly releasing pepper spray inside a nightclub in Canberra, causing patrons to flee after experiencing breathing difficulties. Police were called to Fun Time Pony, a nightclub on Alinga St in Canberra about 1.30am Sunday after reports that an unknown chemical substance was allegedly released inside. Patrons told police they were forced to leave the club due to difficulty breathing and reports of irritated skin and eyes. Speaking to ABC, one patron said it was a 'chaotic' scene as patrons evacuated the nightclub. 'We didn't know what was happening,' he told the outlet. 'It went in my mouth and I couldn't breathe.' Police identified a 20-year-old woman was arrested by police, who allegedly located a can of oleoresin capsicum spray inside her black bag. 'Police believe this was the substance released,' a statement read. The woman has been charged with possession of an offensive weapon with intent and acting causing public harm.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store