Latest news with #RobertWagner
The Australian
6 days ago
- The Australian
Snowtown serial killer James Vlassakis granted parole after 26 years
Snowtown serial killer James Vlassakis has been granted parole after spending 26 years behind bars, but he will not be immediately freed. Vlassakis, now aged 45, was the youngest of the four people involved in South Australia's infamous 'bodies in the barrels' murders between 1992 and 1999. He pleaded guilty to four murders, including his half-brother Troy Youde and his stepbrother David Johnson. Vlassakis also testified against John Bunting and Robert Wagner, who are each serving life sentences without the prospect of parole. Victim Michael James Gardiner was murdered. The Parole Board of SA deemed on Tuesday that Vlassakis should be granted parole. But Attorney-General Kyam Maher, SA Police Commissioner Grant Stevens and Commissioner for Victims Rights Sarah Quick have 60 days to appeal the decision. 'Today's decision to release James Vlassakis will understandably bring fresh pain and anger to those who have already suffered beyond measure,' Ms Quick said. 'The prospect of Mr Vlassakis re-entering the community is a difficult reality for the victims and will require a significant emotional adjustment, adding to an already unbearable burden. 'Knowing that he is subject to parole conditions and supervision for the rest of his life provides some level of reassurance for these victims. Snowtown murder victim David Johnson. 'We must never forget that for the friends, family and loved ones of murder victims the impact of the killing does not end simply because a prison term has ended. 'It is something they live with every day for the rest of their lives.' Parole Board chair Frances Nelson said the board had set 'very robust expectations' for Vlassakis. 'I think he's very mindful of the challenges he will face,' she said. 'I think he's got very good intentions – he has to translate them into action.' Attorney-General Kyam Maher can appeal the parole decision. Picture: NewsWire / Naomi Jellicoe Mark Ray Haydon, who covered up the murders, was released last year with a restrictive extended supervision order. Ms Nelson said Vlassakis would continue to live at the Adelaide Pre-Release Centre, which he could leave under supervision. 'He's looking for employment and he appreciates that will be very difficult with his history,' she said. 'I think he appreciates it will not be all that easy … I think he's accepting of the challenges that he will face. 'He knows what they are, he's quite sensible in the face of them, and he's got to toe the line.' Barry Wayne Lane was another Snowtown murder victim. The Snowtown serial killings were discovered in 1999, when SA Police found remains in six plastic barrels in an old bank vault. Most victims were friends or family of the perpetrators. Vlassakis, whose image remains suppressed, was 19 when he committed the crimes against four victims. He became involved through his stepfather Bunting. Bunting and Wagner were jailed for 11 and 10 murders respectively. The serial killings were dramatised in the award-winning 2011 film Snowtown.
News.com.au
6 days ago
- News.com.au
Snowtown serial killer James Vlassakis granted parole after 26 years
Snowtown serial killer James Vlassakis has been granted parole after spending 26 years behind bars, but he will not be immediately freed. Vlassakis, now aged 45, was the youngest of the four people involved in South Australia's infamous 'bodies in the barrels' murders between 1992 and 1999. He pleaded guilty to four murders, including his half-brother Troy Youde and his stepbrother David Johnson. Vlassakis also testified against John Bunting and Robert Wagner, who are each serving life sentences without the prospect of parole. The Parole Board of SA deemed on Tuesday that Vlassakis should be granted parole. But Attorney-General Kyam Maher, SA Police Commissioner Grant Stevens and Commissioner for Victims Rights Sarah Quick have 60 days to appeal the decision. 'Today's decision to release James Vlassakis will understandably bring fresh pain and anger to those who have already suffered beyond measure,' Ms Quick said. 'The prospect of Mr Vlassakis re-entering the community is a difficult reality for the victims and will require a significant emotional adjustment, adding to an already unbearable burden. 'Knowing that he is subject to parole conditions and supervision for the rest of his life provides some level of reassurance for these victims. 'We must never forget that for the friends, family and loved ones of murder victims the impact of the killing does not end simply because a prison term has ended. 'It is something they live with every day for the rest of their lives.' Parole Board chair Frances Nelson said the board had set 'very robust expectations' for Vlassakis. 'I think he's very mindful of the challenges he will face,' she said. 'I think he's got very good intentions – he has to translate them into action.' Mark Ray Haydon, who covered up the murders, was released last year with a restrictive extended supervision order. Ms Nelson said Vlassakis would continue to live at the Adelaide Pre-Release Centre, which he could leave under supervision. 'He's looking for employment and he appreciates that will be very difficult with his history,' she said. 'I think he appreciates it will not be all that easy … I think he's accepting of the challenges that he will face. 'He knows what they are, he's quite sensible in the face of them, and he's got to toe the line.' The Snowtown serial killings were discovered in 1999, when SA Police found remains in six plastic barrels in an old bank vault. Most victims were friends or family of the perpetrators. Vlassakis, whose image remains suppressed, was 19 when he committed the crimes against four victims. He became involved through his stepfather Bunting. Bunting and Wagner were jailed for 11 and 10 murders respectively. The serial killings were dramatised in the award-winning 2011 film Snowtown.
RNZ News
6 days ago
- RNZ News
Australia's Snowtown murderer James Vlassakis granted parole after 26 years in jail
Eight bodies were found in acid-filled barrels in a disused bank vault at Snowtown in May 1999. Photo: ABC / Che Chorley Convicted Snowtown murderer James Vlassakis has been granted parole after serving 26 years in jail. Vlassakis was the youngest of the four perpetrators involved in South Australia's (SA) "bodies-in-the-barrels" serial killings between 1992 and 1999. He was also the key prosecution witness against killers John Bunting and Robert Wagner, who are serving life sentences without the prospect of parole. The South Australian Parole Board announced its decision on Tuesday afternoon, but Vlassakis won't be immediately released into the community. Parole Board chair Frances Nelson KC said there is a 60-day period during which the SA Attorney-General, the Commissioner for Victims' Rights and Police Commissioner could appeal. "He would then go to the pre-release centre for up to 12 months," she said. "We've had a look at the legislative criteria and, in our view, he meets the criteria. "We have to look at whether or not he presents a risk to the community and in our assessment he does not. His institutional behaviour has been excellent." SA Parole Board Chair Frances Nelson KC said she thinks Vlassakis is 'genuinely remorseful' and that his 'institutional behaviour has been excellent'. Photo: ABC News Ms Nelson said she believed Vlassakis was "genuinely remorseful". "Don't forget he has done it hard in prison, because he gave evidence against Bunting and Wagner," she said. She said while she understood while families and victims opposed his release, it was not the role of the parole board to decide on punishment. "Many victims have the view that someone hasn't really got a long enough sentence and they shouldn't be released, but that isn't a matter that should even feature for the parole board - it would usurp the function of the courts," she said. "The court does not have to set out a non-parole period but they did in his case, and they set a much reduced non-parole period for reasons which are set out in the sentencing remarks." Ms Nelson outlined strict restrictions which Vlassakis would be required to adhere to. "There will be some geographic exclusion zones which the victims have requested, there would be condition that he's not to contact any of the victims - not that I think for a moment that he would, but that does give them some reassurance," she said. "He would [also] have to obey the rules of the pre-release centre which includes a curfew." In May 1999, SA Police discovered the decomposing remains of several victims in six plastic barrels hidden in an old bank vault at Snowtown. Nearly all the murder victims were friends or family of the perpetrators. Vlassakis, whose image remains suppressed and who is now aged in his mid-40s, was 19 when he committed the crimes and was found guilty of being involved in four of the murders. He was jailed for life, but because he had helped authorities, he was given a 26-year non-parole period. Eight bodies were found in acid-filled barrels in a disused bank vault at Snowtown in May 1999. Photo: ABC / Che Chorley He became involved in the serial killings through his stepfather Bunting, who lived with him and his mother in Adelaide's northern suburbs. Co-accused Bunting and Wagner were jailed for 11 and 10 murders respectively, as well as accomplice Mark Ray Haydon, who was released into the community last year after serving a 25-year sentence. Nelson said last year that neither Bunting nor Wagner had shown any contrition for their crimes, and she added that they were "obviously very unpleasant people". "I don't get the impression that either of them is particularly remorseful for what they did," she said. - ABC
ABC News
6 days ago
- ABC News
Snowtown murderer James Vlassakis granted parole after 26 years in jail
Convicted Snowtown murderer James Vlassakis has been granted parole after serving 26 years in jail. Vlassakis was the youngest of the four perpetrators involved in South Australia's "bodies-in-the-barrels" serial killings between 1992 and 1999. He was also the key prosecution witness against killers John Bunting and Robert Wagner, who are serving life sentences without the prospect of parole. The South Australian Parole Board announced its decision on Tuesday afternoon, but Vlassakis won't be immediately released into the community. Parole Board chair Frances Nelson KC said there is a 60-day period during which the SA Attorney-General, the Commissioner for Victims' Rights and Police Commissioner could appeal. "He would then go to the pre-release centre for up to 12 months," she said. "We've had a look at the legislative criteria and, in our view, he meets the criteria."
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Yahoo
Snowtown killer could be free next month
A notorious Snowtown killer who murdered members of his own family could win his bid for freedom as early as next month. The South Australian Parole Board is scheduled to consider a parole application from James Vlassakis, who pleaded guilty on August 5 to four murders for his part in the gruesome 'bodies in the barrels' killing rampage across Adelaide in the 1990s. Vlassakis, John Justin Bunting and Robert Joe Wagner slaughtered 11 people between 1992 and 1999. Police found some of the victims decomposing in barrels hidden in the vault of a disused bank in the town of Snowtown, north of Adelaide. Vlassakis testified against Bunting and Wagner, helping the prosecution to secure convictions against the killers. Two of Vlassakis's victims included his half-brother Troy Youde and stepbrother David Johnson. In 2002, Vlassakis was punished with a life sentence and a non-parole period of 26 years, backdated to his arrest. In May this year, he lodged an application for parole. Parole Board chair Frances Nelson, speaking with the Adelaide Advertiser, confirmed the board would likely decide on his application at its August 5 meeting. She said the board had also asked the Department for Correctional Services to provide a 'through-care' plan, which considers how a prisoner might be resocialised in the community following release from jail. Snowtown accomplice Mark Ray Haydon, who helped cover up seven of the killings, was released on parole in May this year after 25 years in prison. Under the terms of his release, Haydon must be of good behaviour and not commit any offences. He is supervised by a Community Corrections officer and now resides at an approved address. Haydon is barred from knowingly contacting or associating with, either directly or indirectly, the victims of his offending, including any members of their immediate family, and is banned from leaving or attempting to leave South Australia. The Snowtown killings gained national and international attention due to the heinous nature of the murders, which involved torture. The 2011 film Snowtown, directed by Justin Kurzel, attempted to capture the viciousness of the crimes. Actor Lucas Pittaway played the role of Vlassakis, with the film anchored in his perspective. Daniel Henshall played the part of Bunting and won Best Actor at the 2012 AACTA Awards for his portrayal of the manipulative predator. The movie proved to be controversial, with some critics praising its realistic depiction of the killings, while others deplored the violence. A suppression order is in place for Vlassakis's image. The Parole Board has been contacted for comment.
