Man charged with rape and murder of Victorian mother killed in 1994
Police revealed on Thursday they had arrested a 67-year-old man in the Central Highlands town of Ararat, more than 200 kilometres from where Mizzi was brutally assaulted in 1994.
A passerby first found the 24-year-old in bushes at the back of a property on Brighton Road in St Kilda about 11pm on March 29 that year. Mizzi was taken to hospital, but died the following morning.
Detectives charged the 67-year-old man with murder, and two counts of rape. He was due to front Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Thursday.
Mizzi was living in Castlemaine in 1994, trying to get clean from the heroin she first tried as a 16-year-old, and hoping to give up the sex work she did to pay for her addiction.
But she had to pay school fees and other bills, and so travelled down the Calder to St Kilda, leaving her two children with a friend.
She never came back.
Victoria Police said on Thursday their investigation into Mizzi's death was ongoing, but the arrest highlighted detectives' commitment to holding 'those who are involved violent crimes to account'.
'It also shows that progress can be made on cases, even after decades have passed, and that we can begin the process of providing families with long-needed answers,' homicide squad Detective Inspector Dean Thomas said.
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As the nation-and indeed the world-remains captivated by the so-called "mushroom killer," it may surprise some to learn that the Victorian mother was not the first to have turned on her family. Last month, 50-year-old Erin Patterson was convicted of murdering three of her estranged husband, Simon's, relatives by serving them a beef Wellington laced with death cap mushrooms in 2023. But long before Patterson fatally poisoned her parents-in-law, Don and Gail Patterson, and Gail's sister, Heather Wilkinson, another woman attempted to kill her son-in-law. And here's where the story becomes even more intriguing: there's a local connection to that notorious attempted murder, one that occurred 70 years earlier. In July 1953, 27-year-old footballer, Rob (Bobby) Lulham, who played league for Australia, NSW and Balmain during the 1940s-50s, made headlines across the country for all the wrong reasons. 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Parading their domestic secrets before the court Lulham claimed that things never went further than a 'petting party' despite the fact that clothing was removed or rearranged. It was also revealed that he had a pet name for Monty - 'Tops' - and that he kissed her every day when he left for work and when he arrived back home. Apparently, thallium poisoning was not uncommon in the early 50s with reports of 45 similar cases leading to 10 deaths. Racked with guilt about deceiving her daughter, which then led to depression, Monty testified she had made the poisoned Milo for herself, claiming she had contemplated suicide. But Bobby and Judy also had asked for the drinks, and she mixed up the cups. Despite facing two charges of attempted murder and maliciously administering poison, Monty pleaded not guilty to both. Much like the Erin Patteron case (which attracted predominantly women rugged up against the bitter winter weather), the Monty trial captured the attention of the country with a long line of women queuing up at the courtroom doors armed with packed lunches waiting to be let in each morning. Newspapers at the time paid as much attention to what the main female characters (mother and daughter) wore, describing in detail their outfits, as to the trial itself. Attention was first brought about his poisoning following a match between his Balmain team and Canterbury. Unusually, the NSW representative who was a member of the NSW 1947 team, where he scored 17 points against Brisbane, didn't score a point. He was slow across the field, regularly got smashed by opponents before he could pass the ball; his performance was so poor that he was hooted by the Leichhardt Oval crowd. According to Glen Humphries, writing for Zero Tackle, Lulham 'knew he wasn't right, complaining of a heavy feeling in his legs before the game. But he took to the field anyway, not wanting to let down his teammates. On Monday, 20 July - two days after the game - he went to his job as a truck driver but collapsed and went home sick. Two days later, he would discover the reason why - and it would create quite a scandal, easily on par with anything the modern-day footballer can come up with.' He was admitted to the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital with symptoms of thallium poisoning - limb numbness and hair falling out. Police arrested his mother-in-law several weeks later and charged her with attempted murder. After being bailed herself, two days later Monty was in hospital, also suffering from thallium poisoning. Monty was eventually found not guilty on the charges of attempted murder and maliciously administering a poison. 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According to several sources, Monty had moved in with her daughter Judy and son-in-law 12 months earlier, following an operation and after separating from her husband. The Lulhams had been married just six months at the time. During this time, Lulham and Monty then had what was described as an 'intimate relationship' on three occasions, once in June 1953 after Judy had gone to bed early - they were apparently listening to the Ashes test from Lords - another time when Judy was at church and then when Bobby had come home from work early. Parading their domestic secrets before the court Lulham claimed that things never went further than a 'petting party' despite the fact that clothing was removed or rearranged. It was also revealed that he had a pet name for Monty - 'Tops' - and that he kissed her every day when he left for work and when he arrived back home. Apparently, thallium poisoning was not uncommon in the early 50s with reports of 45 similar cases leading to 10 deaths. 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Unusually, the NSW representative who was a member of the NSW 1947 team, where he scored 17 points against Brisbane, didn't score a point. He was slow across the field, regularly got smashed by opponents before he could pass the ball; his performance was so poor that he was hooted by the Leichhardt Oval crowd. According to Glen Humphries, writing for Zero Tackle, Lulham 'knew he wasn't right, complaining of a heavy feeling in his legs before the game. But he took to the field anyway, not wanting to let down his teammates. On Monday, 20 July - two days after the game - he went to his job as a truck driver but collapsed and went home sick. Two days later, he would discover the reason why - and it would create quite a scandal, easily on par with anything the modern-day footballer can come up with.' He was admitted to the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital with symptoms of thallium poisoning - limb numbness and hair falling out. Police arrested his mother-in-law several weeks later and charged her with attempted murder. After being bailed herself, two days later Monty was in hospital, also suffering from thallium poisoning. Monty was eventually found not guilty on the charges of attempted murder and maliciously administering a poison. Judith ended the marriage to the man she had been with since she was 15, while Monty later shot herself. Despite popular belief, Lulham never played football again following the court case, along with brother Herb, Bobby played for Nabiac team, Wallamba. Brian Cowan, who also played for Wallamba as an 18-year-old, said he remembered Bobby as a great bloke and a good footballer. Lulham remarried, had two children, Kerry and Wayne and moved to Tenterfield. He died of a heart attack on Christmas Eve, 1986, at the age of 60. He was buried at the Tenterfield Cemetery. As the nation-and indeed the world-remains captivated by the so-called "mushroom killer," it may surprise some to learn that the Victorian mother was not the first to have turned on her family. Last month, 50-year-old Erin Patterson was convicted of murdering three of her estranged husband, Simon's, relatives by serving them a beef Wellington laced with death cap mushrooms in 2023. But long before Patterson fatally poisoned her parents-in-law, Don and Gail Patterson, and Gail's sister, Heather Wilkinson, another woman attempted to kill her son-in-law. And here's where the story becomes even more intriguing: there's a local connection to that notorious attempted murder, one that occurred 70 years earlier. In July 1953, 27-year-old footballer, Rob (Bobby) Lulham, who played league for Australia, NSW and Balmain during the 1940s-50s, made headlines across the country for all the wrong reasons. His mother-in-law, Veronica Monty, who was 45 years old at the time, was charged with attempted murder after mixing Thall-rat, a rat poison containing thallium into his evening cup of Milo. While Wikipedia claims Lulham was born in Newcastle in November 1926, 'legend' has it he came from Tuncurry, where his father, a veteran of the Gallipoli Campaign, was the postmaster, and Bobby played footy for Wallamba (Nabiac) along with his brothers. According to several sources, Monty had moved in with her daughter Judy and son-in-law 12 months earlier, following an operation and after separating from her husband. The Lulhams had been married just six months at the time. During this time, Lulham and Monty then had what was described as an 'intimate relationship' on three occasions, once in June 1953 after Judy had gone to bed early - they were apparently listening to the Ashes test from Lords - another time when Judy was at church and then when Bobby had come home from work early. Parading their domestic secrets before the court Lulham claimed that things never went further than a 'petting party' despite the fact that clothing was removed or rearranged. It was also revealed that he had a pet name for Monty - 'Tops' - and that he kissed her every day when he left for work and when he arrived back home. Apparently, thallium poisoning was not uncommon in the early 50s with reports of 45 similar cases leading to 10 deaths. Racked with guilt about deceiving her daughter, which then led to depression, Monty testified she had made the poisoned Milo for herself, claiming she had contemplated suicide. But Bobby and Judy also had asked for the drinks, and she mixed up the cups. Despite facing two charges of attempted murder and maliciously administering poison, Monty pleaded not guilty to both. Much like the Erin Patteron case (which attracted predominantly women rugged up against the bitter winter weather), the Monty trial captured the attention of the country with a long line of women queuing up at the courtroom doors armed with packed lunches waiting to be let in each morning. Newspapers at the time paid as much attention to what the main female characters (mother and daughter) wore, describing in detail their outfits, as to the trial itself. Attention was first brought about his poisoning following a match between his Balmain team and Canterbury. Unusually, the NSW representative who was a member of the NSW 1947 team, where he scored 17 points against Brisbane, didn't score a point. He was slow across the field, regularly got smashed by opponents before he could pass the ball; his performance was so poor that he was hooted by the Leichhardt Oval crowd. According to Glen Humphries, writing for Zero Tackle, Lulham 'knew he wasn't right, complaining of a heavy feeling in his legs before the game. But he took to the field anyway, not wanting to let down his teammates. On Monday, 20 July - two days after the game - he went to his job as a truck driver but collapsed and went home sick. Two days later, he would discover the reason why - and it would create quite a scandal, easily on par with anything the modern-day footballer can come up with.' He was admitted to the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital with symptoms of thallium poisoning - limb numbness and hair falling out. Police arrested his mother-in-law several weeks later and charged her with attempted murder. After being bailed herself, two days later Monty was in hospital, also suffering from thallium poisoning. Monty was eventually found not guilty on the charges of attempted murder and maliciously administering a poison. Judith ended the marriage to the man she had been with since she was 15, while Monty later shot herself. Despite popular belief, Lulham never played football again following the court case, along with brother Herb, Bobby played for Nabiac team, Wallamba. Brian Cowan, who also played for Wallamba as an 18-year-old, said he remembered Bobby as a great bloke and a good footballer. Lulham remarried, had two children, Kerry and Wayne and moved to Tenterfield. He died of a heart attack on Christmas Eve, 1986, at the age of 60. He was buried at the Tenterfield Cemetery. As the nation-and indeed the world-remains captivated by the so-called "mushroom killer," it may surprise some to learn that the Victorian mother was not the first to have turned on her family. Last month, 50-year-old Erin Patterson was convicted of murdering three of her estranged husband, Simon's, relatives by serving them a beef Wellington laced with death cap mushrooms in 2023. But long before Patterson fatally poisoned her parents-in-law, Don and Gail Patterson, and Gail's sister, Heather Wilkinson, another woman attempted to kill her son-in-law. And here's where the story becomes even more intriguing: there's a local connection to that notorious attempted murder, one that occurred 70 years earlier. In July 1953, 27-year-old footballer, Rob (Bobby) Lulham, who played league for Australia, NSW and Balmain during the 1940s-50s, made headlines across the country for all the wrong reasons. His mother-in-law, Veronica Monty, who was 45 years old at the time, was charged with attempted murder after mixing Thall-rat, a rat poison containing thallium into his evening cup of Milo. While Wikipedia claims Lulham was born in Newcastle in November 1926, 'legend' has it he came from Tuncurry, where his father, a veteran of the Gallipoli Campaign, was the postmaster, and Bobby played footy for Wallamba (Nabiac) along with his brothers. According to several sources, Monty had moved in with her daughter Judy and son-in-law 12 months earlier, following an operation and after separating from her husband. The Lulhams had been married just six months at the time. During this time, Lulham and Monty then had what was described as an 'intimate relationship' on three occasions, once in June 1953 after Judy had gone to bed early - they were apparently listening to the Ashes test from Lords - another time when Judy was at church and then when Bobby had come home from work early. Parading their domestic secrets before the court Lulham claimed that things never went further than a 'petting party' despite the fact that clothing was removed or rearranged. It was also revealed that he had a pet name for Monty - 'Tops' - and that he kissed her every day when he left for work and when he arrived back home. Apparently, thallium poisoning was not uncommon in the early 50s with reports of 45 similar cases leading to 10 deaths. Racked with guilt about deceiving her daughter, which then led to depression, Monty testified she had made the poisoned Milo for herself, claiming she had contemplated suicide. But Bobby and Judy also had asked for the drinks, and she mixed up the cups. Despite facing two charges of attempted murder and maliciously administering poison, Monty pleaded not guilty to both. Much like the Erin Patteron case (which attracted predominantly women rugged up against the bitter winter weather), the Monty trial captured the attention of the country with a long line of women queuing up at the courtroom doors armed with packed lunches waiting to be let in each morning. Newspapers at the time paid as much attention to what the main female characters (mother and daughter) wore, describing in detail their outfits, as to the trial itself. Attention was first brought about his poisoning following a match between his Balmain team and Canterbury. Unusually, the NSW representative who was a member of the NSW 1947 team, where he scored 17 points against Brisbane, didn't score a point. He was slow across the field, regularly got smashed by opponents before he could pass the ball; his performance was so poor that he was hooted by the Leichhardt Oval crowd. According to Glen Humphries, writing for Zero Tackle, Lulham 'knew he wasn't right, complaining of a heavy feeling in his legs before the game. But he took to the field anyway, not wanting to let down his teammates. On Monday, 20 July - two days after the game - he went to his job as a truck driver but collapsed and went home sick. Two days later, he would discover the reason why - and it would create quite a scandal, easily on par with anything the modern-day footballer can come up with.' He was admitted to the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital with symptoms of thallium poisoning - limb numbness and hair falling out. Police arrested his mother-in-law several weeks later and charged her with attempted murder. After being bailed herself, two days later Monty was in hospital, also suffering from thallium poisoning. Monty was eventually found not guilty on the charges of attempted murder and maliciously administering a poison. Judith ended the marriage to the man she had been with since she was 15, while Monty later shot herself. Despite popular belief, Lulham never played football again following the court case, along with brother Herb, Bobby played for Nabiac team, Wallamba. Brian Cowan, who also played for Wallamba as an 18-year-old, said he remembered Bobby as a great bloke and a good footballer. Lulham remarried, had two children, Kerry and Wayne and moved to Tenterfield. He died of a heart attack on Christmas Eve, 1986, at the age of 60. He was buried at the Tenterfield Cemetery.
