Latest news with #SamanthaMizzi
News.com.au
3 days ago
- News.com.au
Man, 67, charged with murder of Samantha Mizzi who was killed 31 years ago
A man has been charged with the murder of Samantha Mizzi who was fatally assaulted and raped in the Melbourne suburb of St Kilda more than 30 years ago. Detectives arrested a 67-year old man in Ararat, about 200km northeast of Melbourne, on Thursday. Ms Mizzi's died in hospital on March 29, 1994 after a person spotted the 24-year old's body in bushes at the rear of a property on Brighton Rd about 11pm that night. Homicide Squad Detective Inspector Dean Thomas said it did not matter how many years had passed, police were committed to holding perpetrators involved in 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,' he said. 'If there are people out there who have information about a crime such as this, no matter how many years have passed, I can assure you that it's never too late to come forward. 'Any piece of information will be assessed thoroughly by police in the hope it can provide new avenues of inquiry for an investigation.' The 67-year-old Ararat man has been charged with murder and two counts of rape and is due to appear in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Thursday. A police spokesman said the investigation was ongoing and anyone with information should contact Crime Stoppers.
Otago Daily Times
3 days ago
- Otago Daily Times
Murder, rape charges laid over three-decade Aussie cold case
A man has been charged with raping and murdering a young mother after she was allegedly beaten and left to die in bushes more than 30 years ago. Samantha Mizzi was found unresponsive by a passerby in bushes at the rear of a St Kilda property in Melbourne's southeast late on the evening of March 29, 1994. The 24-year-old from the central Victorian town of Castlemaine, near Bendigo, was taken to hospital but died the next morning. She had been severely beaten with an object and sexually abused before being stripped and left to die, police have previously alleged. Her belongings were stolen and the weapon used in her alleged murder was never found. Ms Mizzi travelled to the area the previous day in a bid to earn some money to support her children, who were at home being cared for by a friend. Witnesses saw her speaking to an unknown man on Brighton Rd before the pair walked towards Blanche St. A short time later, local residents reported hearing a woman scream three or four times. A 67-year-old man was arrested in Ararat on Thursday and has since been charged with murder and two counts of rape. The arrest and charges highlight how detectives remain committed to holding violent offenders to account no matter how many years have passed, Detective Inspector Dean Thomas said. "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," he said. "If there are people out there who have information about a crime such as this, no matter how many years have passed, I can assure you that it's never too late to come forward." The man charged with Ms Mizzi's murder was expected to face Melbourne Magistrates Court for the first time later on Thursday.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Daily Mail
Cold case breakthrough as police charge man with the murder of woman more than 30 years after her brutal death
Homicide Squad detectives have charged a man over the death of Samantha Mizzi in St Kilda more than 30 years ago. Colin McKane, 67, was arrested in Ararat, in Victoria's west, on Thursday. He has been charged with murder and two counts of rape and will appear at the Melbourne Magistrates' Court this evening. The charges follow the alleged deadly attack on Ms Mizzi, 24, from Castlemaine, in country Victoria, on March 29, 1994. Her body was found by a passer-by in bushes at the rear of a property on St Kilda's Brighton Road about 11pm. She was taken to hospital but died the following morning. In announcing the breakthrough arrest, Homicide Squad Detective Inspector Dean Thomas said criminals should take note that Victoria Police never lets a case rest. 'Today's arrest and charges highlight that it doesn't matter how many years have passed, detectives remain committed to holding those who are involved in violent crimes to account,' he said. '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. 'If there are people out there who have information about a crime such as this, no matter how many years have passed, I can assure you that it's never too late to come forward.' At the time, it was believed Ms Mizzi was allegedly fatally beaten with an object and sexually assaulted before being stripped and left to die. She had travelled to the red light district from Castlemaine to earn money to support her children, who were at home being cared for by a friend. Witnesses said Ms Mizzi was seen speaking with a Caucasian man in his 40s prior to the attack whose identity remains a mystery.
Sydney Morning Herald
3 days ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Man charged with rape and murder of Victorian mother killed in 1994
More than 30 years after Victorian mother Samantha Mizzi was killed, homicide detectives have charged a man with her rape and murder. 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.
The Age
3 days ago
- The Age
Man charged with rape and murder of Victorian mother killed in 1994
More than 30 years after Victorian mother Samantha Mizzi was killed, homicide detectives have charged a man with her rape and murder. 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.
