Bevan Spencer von Einem, perhaps Australia's most notorious convicted child murderer, has been rushed to a prison hospital and is now reported to be critically ill, extremely frail, and bedridden—someone who is caught on death's door. As death looms ever closer, attention is turning anew to the horrific crimes that once shocked the nation.
Von Einem is the only person ever convicted in connection with the so-called Family Murders — a string of horrifying child and young‑man killings that remain deeply traumatic more than four decades after his imprisonment.
Yet he has stubbornly refused to admit guilt in other suspected crimes, denying involvement in the wider network believed to be behind the gruesome murders despite spending more than forty years in prison.
Victims' Families Hoping For A Confession
7News Australia reported the 79-year-old, Australia's most notorious killer, has been rushed to a hospital, 24 November, where their coverage caught a rushing ambulance to transfer him to Yatala Labour Prison Infirmary from Port Augusta Prison, where he has been held since 2007, to the labour prison in Adelaide. He has been reportedly suffering from terminal cancer.
Upon learning the news, Deputy Premier Kyam Maher has been blunt about the public sentiment: 'Quite frankly, every day that person isn't on this planet anymore is a good day,' he said.
'I don't think there is a single person who will have any remorse at his death,' he added.
Families of the victims are hoping that major crime detectives will be able to interview von Einem, as he might only have days to live. He has never cooperated with the police in the past, and the families believe that this could be their last chance for a confession.
One of them is Karl Brooks, the best friend of Richard Kelvin — von Einem's only convicted victim, who has voiced a mixture of anger and lingering hope. Brooks told The Advertiser that while he feels a sense of relief, he also harbours a desperate wish: that von Einem might finally speak.
'We just want closure, we need justice,' Brooks said with hope visible in his teary eyes.
'If he's got any sort of conscience left inside that psychopathic brain of his, he could do something right and give police something to work with,' Brooks said.
But he added, with bitter realism, 'I don't think he will.'
Unlikely Confession — Grim Reality for Families
Despite the families' hopes, a confession from von Einem is considered highly improbable. He is battling terminal cancer and is reportedly not expected to survive the week.
True crime journalist Debi Marshall, who previously spoke with von Einem, has also expressed scepticism. She reportedly said, 'There's a special place for that man in hell. I can tell you that he is a monster — a really evil man.'
Authorities acknowledge the difficulty of eliciting any cooperation from von Einem in his final days. The grim reality is that many of the unanswered questions surrounding the Family Murders may remain unresolved, leaving families with little hope beyond their personal plea for justice.
The Family Murders — A Legacy of Horror
The Family Murders remain one of South Australia's darkest criminal chapters. Between 1979 and 1983, a series of abductions targeted young men and teenage boys, often involving sexual abuse, drugging, and prolonged captivity.
Von Einem was convicted in 1984 for the abduction, sexual assault, and murder of Richard Kelvin. Forensic evidence, including fibre matching from his home to Kelvin's clothing, played a key role in the conviction.
Von Einem has only been convicted of one murder, but authorities believe he may have been involved in other killings, including Neil Muir, Peter Stogneff, and Mark Langley.
Despite repeated investigations, he has never fully cooperated with the police, leaving these cases unresolved.
Racing Against Time
Authorities and families are racing against time to conduct interviews that might finally shed light on the wider network behind the murders. For decades, families have waited for closure, and von Einem's declining health may present the only remaining opportunity.
Robyn Barnes, whose brother Alan Barnes was also among the suspected victims, said, 'Tell us what you know, spill it, let this end. We need answers, we need peace.'
Bevan Spencer von Einem's name is already etched indelibly into Australia's criminal history. Yet as he faces the end of his life, there remains a slim but poignant hope that truth may yet be revealed.
