Paul Denyer
Paul Denyer | |
---|---|
File:Pauldenyer.jpg | |
Born | Paul Charles Denyer 14 April 1972 |
Other names | The Frankston Killer |
Criminal penalty | three terms of life imprisonment with a 30-year non-parole period |
Details | |
Victims | 3 |
Span of crimes | 11 June 1993 – 30 July 1993 |
Country | Australia |
State(s) | Victoria |
Date apprehended | 31 July 1993 |
Paul Charles Denyer (born 14 April 1972) is an Australian serial killer, currently serving three consecutive sentences of life imprisonment with a non-parole period 30 years at HM Prison Barwon for the murders of Elizabeth Stevens, 18, Debbie Fream, 22, and Natalie Russell, 17, in Frankston, Victoria, in 1993.[1]
Denyer is known as the "Frankston Killer" as his crimes occurred in Frankston and neighbouring suburbs. Denyer was featured in the pilot episode of Seven Network crime series Forensic Investigators.
Early life
Denyer was born to British immigrant parents, Anthony and Maureen Denyer in Campbelltown, New South Wales, an outer suburb of Sydney. His parents had immigrated to Australia in 1965. During his infancy, Denyer suffered a head injury which led to a common gag in his family every time Denyer made a lewd or out of the ordinary comment, prompting them to say "that's because you fell on your head as a baby". In 1981, the family relocated to Victoria.
Denyer reportedly had difficulty fitting in amongst his peers in his new town which led to problems with his self-confidence that was worsened by significant weight gain during his teen years.
Murders
Denyer stalked and murdered three women in and around the Melbourne suburb of Frankston during a seven-week period in 1993.[1] Denyer was 21 at the time of his crimes. During a police interview Denyer said the motivation for his crimes was a hatred of women in general.[2]
- POLICE: Can you explain why we have women victims?
- DENYER: I just hate them.
- POLICE: I beg your pardon.
- DENYER: I hate them all.
- POLICE: Those particular girls or women in general?
- DENYER: General.
Victims
The first victim was 18-year-old Elizabeth Stevens. She had just alighted from a bus to Langwarrin when she was dragged to nearby Lloyd Park. Her throat was slashed and a criss-cross pattern was carved into her chest.
A month later, the second victim, Deborah Fream, was abducted in the early evening. She had left her car unlocked to run into a store to buy milk. Denyer climbed into the back seat, and hijacked the car after Fream drove from the store. She was taken to Taylor's Road and, like Stevens, her throat was slashed savagely. She had left her 12-day-old baby at home with a friend when she left to buy the milk.
Rosza Toth was attacked by Denyer while walking home from Seaford railway station on the evening of Deborah Fream's abduction. Toth was dragged towards the toilet block. She managed to break free of Denyer's grasp and notified police.
The third and final victim, 17-year-old Natalie Russell, was attacked while walking home early from school. She had taken a short cut home along a bicycle track through a park. She was dragged from the path through a large hole in a wire fence, but put up a huge fight. This made Denyer angry, and he slashed at her head and neck. Russell's death was the most brutal.
Connections with the 1990 disappearance of Sarah MacDiarmid from nearby Kananook railway station were made. MacDiarmid's body has never been found. The only evidence suggesting a crime was a pool of blood next to her car, parked at the station. Denyer denied involvement in MacDiarmid's disappearance.
Similar connections to the murder of Michelle Brown have also been discussed.[who?] She was found naked, and her body was too decomposed to examine the injuries.
Sex reassignment requests
Whilst imprisoned, Denyer requested to be allowed to purchase and wear women's cosmetics, which was denied.
Denyer also filed freedom of information requests to learn of the Victorian government's policy on gender reassignment surgery for prisoners and has sought evaluation to determine his suitability for such surgery, which was also rejected by medical specialists.[2]
References
- ^ a b "Stop pandering to 'sicko', says Doyle". The Age. 28 June 2004. Retrieved 14 September 2008.
- ^ a b Gearin, Mary (1 September 2004). "Murderer's sex change request sparks rights debate". The 7.30 Report. ABC. Retrieved 14 September 2008.
Further reading
- Petraitis, Vikki (1995). The Frankston Murders: The True Story of Serial Killer Paul Denyer. Carrum Downs, Vic: Nivar Press. ISBN 0-646-22828-5. OCLC 35655011.
I Always Wanted To Kill: Paul Denyer Serial Killer Pamela Valemont Author 21 February 2015 Apple iTunes ISBN 9781326176648 https://itunes.apple.com/au/book/i-always-wanted-to-kill/id967268374?mt=11
External links
- The Queen v Denyer M77/1994 (17 March 1995), High Court of Australia, Application for special leave to appeal
- Why triple-killer Paul Denyer must never be released, The Age, 14 January 2004
- Use dmy dates from April 2011
- 1972 births
- Australian people convicted of murder
- Australian prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment
- Australian serial killers
- Criminals from Melbourne
- LGBT people from Australia
- Living people
- Male serial killers
- Murder in Melbourne
- People convicted of murder by Victoria (Australia)
- Prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment by Victoria (Australia)