The Truro Murders (Part 4): The Victims: Vicki and Connie

The Truro Murders (Part 4): The Victims: Vicki and Connie

 The Truro Murderers had now claimed four lives of young girls in the City of Adelaide, South Australia. They were unrelenting in their bloodlust, and began to take more risks in finding new victims.

Vicki Howell – Aged 26

 Only a day after the death of Sylvia, February 7^th, 1977 “The Driver” was told to meet his friend at the Adelaide Post Office at 7pm. There with his friend was Vicki Howell, a 26 year old woman who was in a bit of an emotional slump, having recently separated from her husband

 The good looking young man had convinced her to go for a long drive out into the Barossa Valley. They stopped at Nuriootpa for Vicki to use a bathroom. A little further out of Nuriootpa, they stopped so the driver could go into the bushes and relieve himself.

 When he returned, only half an hour later, lie every girl previously, Vicki was dead and his friend was covering her body on the backseat.

 The two men argued extensively about this murder as The Driver felt she was a nice girl and didn’t deserve to die like this. The argument ended, but the driver was sure his friend would kill him, such was their relationship, and such was the good looking young man’s rage.

 They continued only minute’s further on up the road to Truro, and disposed of the body in their usual manner, before returning to Adelaide.

Connie Iordinides – Aged 16

  The killing spree was now picking up more pace. On February 9^th, only two days after the death of Vicki Howell, The two men were driving around Adelaide when they noticed a young girl standing on the footpath, laughing and giggling too herself.
 The turned the car around and drove up to her, asking if she needed a list anywhere.
The young girl jumped in the car and sat in the front seat between the two men. Instead of heading where they had promised her, they turned in to opposite direction, and headed toward Wingfield.
 The Driver stopped in his favourite secluded area, got out of the car and went for a walk. He could hear young Connie screaming as she was pulled into the backseat and raped, then strangled.
When he returned, Connie was dead and covered with a blanket in the backseat.
 They drove to Truro, and disposed of her remains in the same manner as the previous girls, then drove back to Adelaide, sleeping in their car at the Victoria Park Racecourse.

Next Week: The Truro Murders (Part 5): The Victims: Deborah L and Deborah S

Follow on us facebook:

 www.facebook.com/TheHauntsofAdelaide

www.facebookcom/TheHauntsofKapunda

Or buy the book by Haunting: Australia’s Allen Tiller – The Haunts of Adelaide: History, Mystery and the Paranormal – available in traditional book format or on Amazon Kindle at: http://www.amazon.com/The-Haunts-Adelaide-Allen-Tiller/dp/0994177895

The Truro Murders (Part 4): The Victims: Vicki and Connie

The Truro Murderers had now claimed four lives of young girls in the City of Adelaide, South Australia. They were unrelenting in their bloodlust and began to take more risks in finding new victims.

Vicki Howell – Aged 26

Only a day after the death of Sylvia, February 7th, 1977 “The Driver” was told to meet his friend at the Adelaide Post Office at 7pm. There, with his friend was Vicki Howell, a 26-year-old woman who was in a bit of an emotional slump, having recently separated from her husband

The good looking young man had convinced her to go for a long drive out into the Barossa Valley. They stopped at Nuriootpa for Vicki to use a bathroom. A little further out of Nuriootpa, they stopped so the driver could go into the bushes and relieve himself.

When he returned, only half an hour later, lie every girl previously, Vicki was dead and his friend was covering her body on the backseat.

The two men argued extensively about this murder as The Driver felt she was a nice girl and didn’t deserve to die like this. The argument ended, but the driver was sure his friend would kill him, such was their relationship, and such was the good looking young man’s rage.

They continued only minute’s further on up the road to Truro, and disposed of the body in their usual manner, before returning to Adelaide.

Connie Iordinides – Aged 16

 The killing spree was now picking up more pace. On February 9th, only two days after the death of Vicki Howell, The two men were driving around Adelaide when they noticed a young girl standing on the footpath, laughing and giggling to herself.
The turned the car around and drove up to her, asking if she needed a list anywhere.
The young girl jumped in the car and sat in the front seat between the two men. Instead of heading where they had promised her, they turned in to opposite direction and headed toward Wingfield.
The Driver stopped in his favourite secluded area, got out of the car and went for a walk. He could hear young Connie screaming as she was pulled into the backseat and raped, then strangled.
When he returned, Connie was dead and covered with a blanket in the backseat.
They drove to Truro, and disposed of her remains in the same manner as the previous girls, then drove back to Adelaide, sleeping in their car at the Victoria Park Racecourse.

Next Week: The Truro Murders (Part 5): The Victims: Deborah L and Deborah S

Researched and written by Allen Tiller © 2015

Follow on us facebook:
www.facebook.com/TheHauntsofAdelaide

Or buy the book by Haunting: Australia’s Allen Tiller – The Haunts of Adelaide: History, Mystery and the Paranormal – available in traditional book format or on Amazon Kindle at: http://www.amazon.com/The-Haunts-Adelaide-Allen-Tiller/dp/0994177895

The Truro Murders (Part 3): The Victims: Juliet and Sylvia

The Truro Murders (Part 3): The Victims: Juliet and Sylvia

 With the two victims to their names already, the men to become known as “The Truro Murderers” did not relent in their killing spree. The two men had their chosen “pick-up” points, including Rundle Mall, The Buckingham Arms Hotel and the Adelaide Railway Station.

Juliet Mykyta – Aged 16

The remains of Juliet Mykyta being carried by a Detective

 1977, 16 year Juliet Mykyta, a Marsden High School student who worked in the city in the school holidays in a small sidewalk booth selling jewellery, stopped at a telecom phone booth to phone her parents and tell them she would be late getting home.
 She waited for the bus that was to come outside the Ambassador’s Hotel at 9pm on King William Street. A good looking young man and his friend pulled over and offered her a lift, which she gratefully took.

  The men drove out to Port Wakefield road and parked, with the good looking young guy forcing Juliet into the backseat, where he tied her up as she screamed and kicked at him. The Driver went for a walk, looking back at the car, he saw Juliet and heard her shouting, and watched her fall to the ground as if kicked in the stomach. The Good looking guy was suddenly on top of her, and strangled her with a length of rope.

 An argument, again, broke out between the two men, with the driver again leaving for some time. Upon his return the young girl was no visible, most likely in the boot of the car.

The two men drove in relative silence to Truro. Instead of going towards Swamp Road where they had buried the previous bodies, they detoured out on another road to an old farmhouse, and disposed of Juliet’s body by dumping her on the ground and covering her in branches and leaves. They then returned home.

Sylvia Pitmann – Aged 16

 February 6^th 1977, 16 year old Sylvia Pitmann was waiting for a train at the Adelaide Railway Station. A goof looking young man approached her, and convinced her he could give her a lift home, thus saving her having to wait for the train.

 The two men drove the young girl out to a secluded spot near Wingfield. As per usual, the driver took a walk. Upon returning, the driver noticed the young girl on the backseat covered with a rug. She had been strangled to death with a pair of her own pantyhose.
 The two men drove out to Truro, and unloaded Sylivia’s body – fully clothed, and not tied up like the other girls. They laid her on the ground and covered her with sticks and branches, then made their way back to Adelaide.

Next Week: The Truro Murders (Part 4): The Victims: Vicki and Connie

Follow on us facebook:

 www.facebook.com/TheHauntsofAdelaide

www.facebookcom/TheHauntsofKapunda

Or buy the book by Haunting: Australia’s Allen Tiller – The Haunts of Adelaide: History, Mystery and the Paranormal – available in traditional book format or on Amazon Kindle at: http://www.amazon.com/The-Haunts-Adelaide-Allen-Tiller/dp/0994177895

The Truro Murders (Part 3): The Victims: Juliet and Sylvia

With the two victims to their names already, the men to become known as “The Truro Murderers” did not relent in their killing spree. The two men had their chosen “pick-up” points, including Rundle Mall, The Buckingham Arms Hotel and the Adelaide Railway Station.

Juliet Mykyta – Aged 16

The remains of Juliet Mykyta being carried by a Detective

1977, 16 year Juliet Mykyta, a Marsden High School student who worked in the city in the school holidays in a small sidewalk booth selling jewellery, stopped at a telecom phone booth to phone her parents and tell them she would be late getting home.
She waited for the bus that was to come outside the Ambassador’s Hotel at 9pm on King William Street. A good looking young man and his friend pulled over and offered her a lift, which she gratefully took.

The men drove out to Port Wakefield Road and parked, with the good looking young guy forcing Juliet into the backseat, where he tied her up as she screamed and kicked at him. The Driver went for a walk, looking back at the car, he saw Juliet and heard her shouting, and watched her fall to the ground as if kicked in the stomach. The Good looking guy was suddenly on top of her and strangled her with a length of rope.

An argument, again, broke out between the two men, with the driver again leaving for some time. Upon his return, the young girl was no visible, most likely in the boot of the car.

The two men drove in relative silence to Truro. Instead of going towards Swamp Road where they had buried the previous bodies, they detoured out on another road to an old farmhouse and disposed of Juliet’s body by dumping her on the ground and covering her in branches and leaves. They then returned home.

Sylvia Pitmann – Aged 16

February 6th 1977, 16-year-old Sylvia Pitmann was waiting for a train at the Adelaide Railway Station. A good looking young man approached her and convinced her he could give her a lift home, thus saving her having to wait for the train.

The two men drove the young girl out to a secluded spot near Wingfield. As per usual, the driver took a walk. Upon returning, the driver noticed the young girl on the backseat covered with a rug. She had been strangled to death with a pair of her own pantyhose.
The two men drove out to Truro and unloaded Sylvia’s body – fully clothed, and not tied up like the other girls. They laid her on the ground and covered her with sticks and branches, then made their way back to Adelaide.

Next Week: The Truro Murders (Part 4): The Victims: Vicki and Connie

Researched and written by Allen Tiller ©2015

Follow on us facebook:
www.facebook.com/TheHauntsofAdelaide

Or buy the book by Haunting: Australia’s Allen Tiller – The Haunts of Adelaide: History, Mystery and the Paranormal – available in traditional book format or on Amazon Kindle at: http://www.amazon.com/The-Haunts-Adelaide-Allen-Tiller/dp/0994177895

The Truro Murders (Part 2): The Victims: Veronica and Tania

The Truro Murders (Part 2): The Victims: Veronica and Tania

 The Truro Murders had broken as a national story, and put the tiny town on the map as a notorious serial killing hotspot. Much like the Snowtown “Bodies in the barrels” case many years later, the murders themselves didn’t happen in Truro, and not all the girls remains were found there.

Veronica Knight – Aged 18:

 On Thursday the 23^rd of December 1976, two men were driving the streets of Adelaide watching the hordes of last minute Christmas shoppers rush about to buy their loved ones presents.
 There were many young women about. One of the men left the car, and told his friend to drive around the block, and he would meet him back here. The driver drove around the block twice, and on the second loop, found his friend with a young girl at the front of the Majestic Hotel.
 The young girl had become separated from her friend, and whilst standing in the City-Cross arcade, was approached by a good looking young man who offered her a lift home to Angas street where she was staying at the Salvation Army Hostel.
 Now in the car with two men she didn’t know, she was convinced to go for a drive in to the Adelaide Hills.

 The driver of the car pulled into a side-track and excused himself, taking a walk in the darkness. The other, “friendly” guy, pulled Veronica into the backseat and had his way.
 When the driver returned half an hour later, the young girl was lying motionless on the backseat.

The men then drove through Gawler, to Truro. They drove down swamp road, pulled over, and removed the body from the car, burying it in loose sand and covering her body in branches and leaves in the swamp.

Tania Kenny – Aged 15

 1977, January 2^nd, A driver dropped of a good looking young man at one end of Rundle Mall, agreeing to pick him up at the other end. The driver waited, and soon the good looking young man appeared with a 15 year old girl named Tania Kenny.

 Tania had recently ran away from home and hitch hiked her way to Adelaide from Victor Harbour, two hours south.

The two men, and Tania drove to the sister house of one of the men, on the pretext of picking up clothes. No-one was home, but the good looking young man and Tania entered the house anyway.
 It wasn’t long before the good looking man returned, the driver knew something was wrong, and went into the house. There he found, in the children’s playroom, Tania. She had been bound with rope, had been gagged and strangled.
 The Two men argued and threats were made. They hid the girl’s body in a closet.

 The two men returned that night, put the body in the car, and drove towards Wingfield to the Dean Rifle Range. Here they buried the girl in a shallow grave that they had dug earlier in the day.

Next Week: The Truro Murders (Part 3): The Victims: Juliet and Sylvia

Follow on us facebook:

 www.facebook.com/TheHauntsofAdelaide

www.facebookcom/TheHauntsofKapunda

Or buy the book by Haunting: Australia’s Allen Tiller – The Haunts of Adelaide: History, Mystery and the Paranormal – available in traditional book format or on Amazon Kindle at: http://www.amazon.com/The-Haunts-Adelaide-Allen-Tiller/dp/0994177895

The Truro Murders (Part 2): The Victims: Veronica and Tania

The Truro Murders had broken as a national story and put the tiny town on the map as a notorious serial killing hotspot. Much like the Snowtown “Bodies in the barrels” case many years later, the murders themselves didn’t happen in Truro, and not all the girl’s remains were found there.

Veronica Knight – Aged 18:

\

On Thursday the 23rd of December 1976, two men were driving the streets of Adelaide watching the hordes of last-minute Christmas shoppers rush about to buy their loved one’s presents.
There were many young women about. One of the men left the car and told his friend to drive around the block, and he would meet him back here. The driver drove around the block twice, and on the second loop, found his friend with a young girl at the front of the Majestic Hotel.
The young girl had become separated from her friend, and whilst standing in the City-Cross arcade, was approached by a good looking young man who offered her a lift home to Angas street where she was staying at the Salvation Army Hostel.
Now in the car with two men she didn’t know, she was convinced to go for a drive into the Adelaide Hills.

The driver of the car pulled into a side-track and excused himself, taking a walk in the darkness. The other, “friendly” guy, pulled Veronica into the backseat and had his way.
When the driver returned half an hour later, the young girl was lying motionless on the backseat.

The men then drove through Gawler, to Truro. They drove down swamp road, pulled over, and removed the body from the car, burying it in loose sand and covering her body in branches and leaves in the swamp.

Tania Kenny – Aged 15

1977, January 2nd, A driver dropped off a good looking young man at one end of Rundle Mall, agreeing to pick him up at the other end. The driver waited, and soon the good looking young man appeared with a 15-year-old girl named Tania Kenny.

Tania had recently run away from home and hitchhiked her way to Adelaide from Victor Harbour, two hours south.

The two men and Tania drove to the sister house of one of the men, on the pretext of picking up clothes. No-one was home, but the good looking young man and Tania entered the house anyway.
It wasn’t long before the good looking man returned, the driver knew something was wrong and went into the house. There he found, in the children’s playroom, Tania. She had been bound with rope, had been gagged and strangled. The two men argued and threats were made. They hid the girl’s body in a closet.

The two men returned that night and put the body in the car, and drove towards Wingfield to the Dean Rifle Range. Here they buried the girl in a shallow grave that they had dug earlier in the day.

Next Week: The Truro Murders (Part 3): The Victims: Juliet and Sylvia

Researched and written by Allen Tiller ©2015

Follow on us facebook:
www.facebook.com/TheHauntsofAdelaide

Or buy the book by Haunting: Australia’s Allen Tiller – The Haunts of Adelaide: History, Mystery and the Paranormal – available in traditional book format or on Amazon Kindle at: http://www.amazon.com/The-Haunts-Adelaide-Allen-Tiller/dp/0994177895

The Truro Murders – (Part One)

The Truro Murders – (Part One)

Truro, a small town of about 400 people located about 80kms north-east of Adelaide, and only minutes out of Nuriootpa in the Barossa Valley became the focus of the largest police probe in South Australian History.

 Whilst out searching for mushrooms near swamp road, Truro on the 25 of April, 1978, Bill and Valda Thomas came across a bone which they thought belonged to a cow.

 Valda, concerned the bone may have belonged to something other than a cow, convinced Bill to drive back out to Swamp Road and have another look. The Couple found the bone again, and after clearing away some sand, discovered the bone had a shoe attached. Inside the shoe was the remains of a foot, including the skin and painted toenails.

 The police were notified, and they searched the immediate area, finding clothing, blood stains and more bones and personal belongings.
 The bones were identified as to belonging to Veronica Knight an 18 year old girl who had gone missing in Adelaide near Christmas of 1976.
 The police investigation didn’t last long because of the lack of evidence of foul play. It was decided that Ms Knight may have gotten lost and perished from dehydration. The case was left opened as no more leads had been found.

Later in 1978, another young woman’s body was found near Murray Bridge. The find of skeletal remains was hard to identify, but it soon became evident that they belonged to a young lady, 20 years old, named Maria Dickinson. She had been shot through the head.

 Maria had gone missing 8 months previously to the grisly find.

 Almost exactly one year after the discovery of Ms Knight, on April 15^th 1979, a group of bushwalkers came across bones partially buried in the sand only a kilometre or so from the burial area of Ms Knight. These bones belonged to 16 year old Sylvia Pittman

 Police had made a connection with girls being reported missing in a two to three month period, and knew they were dealing with a serial murderer.

 A profile was made of the killer; A local Adelaide man, sex offender, and possible someone who had recently served time in an Adelaide Gaol, and may have possibly returned to gaol recently.

 The investigation quietly continued on until the media caught wind of the investigation and began to report it locally. It soon became a case of national interest, with newspapers offering rewards of $10,000 to catch the killer, and the Government offering $30,000

Next Week: The Truro Murders (Part 2): The Victims: Veronica and Tania

Follow on us facebook:

 www.facebook.com/TheHauntsofAdelaide

www.facebookcom/TheHauntsofKapunda

Or buy the book by Haunting: Australia’s Allen Tiller – The Haunts of Adelaide: History, Mystery and the Paranormal – available in traditional book format or on Amazon Kindle at: http://www.amazon.com/The-Haunts-Adelaide-Allen-Tiller/dp/0994177895

The Truro Murders – (Part One)

The Truro Murders – (Part One)

Truro, a small town of about 400 people located about 80kms north-east of Adelaide, and only minutes out of Nuriootpa in the Barossa Valley became the focus of the largest police probe in South Australian History.

 Whilst out searching for mushrooms near swamp road, Truro on the 25 of April, 1978, Bill and Valda Thomas came across a bone which they thought belonged to a cow.

 Valda, concerned the bone may have belonged to something other than a cow, convinced Bill to drive back out to Swamp Road and have another look. The Couple found the bone again, and after clearing away some sand, discovered the bone had a shoe attached. Inside the shoe was the remains of a foot, including the skin and painted toenails.

 The police were notified, and they searched the immediate area, finding clothing, blood stains and more bones and personal belongings.
 The bones were identified as to belonging to Veronica Knight an 18 year old girl who had gone missing in Adelaide near Christmas of 1976.
 The police investigation didn’t last long because of the lack of evidence of foul play. It was decided that Ms Knight may have gotten lost and perished from dehydration. The case was left opened as no more leads had been found.

Later in 1978, another young woman’s body was found near Murray Bridge. The find of skeletal remains was hard to identify, but it soon became evident that they belonged to a young lady, 20 years old, named Maria Dickinson. She had been shot through the head.

 Maria had gone missing 8 months previously to the grisly find.

 Almost exactly one year after the discovery of Ms Knight, on April 15^th 1979, a group of bushwalkers came across bones partially buried in the sand only a kilometre or so from the burial area of Ms Knight. These bones belonged to 16 year old Sylvia Pittman

 Police had made a connection with girls being reported missing in a two to three month period, and knew they were dealing with a serial murderer.

 A profile was made of the killer; A local Adelaide man, sex offender, and possible someone who had recently served time in an Adelaide Gaol, and may have possibly returned to gaol recently.

 The investigation quietly continued on until the media caught wind of the investigation and began to report it locally. It soon became a case of national interest, with newspapers offering rewards of $10,000 to catch the killer, and the Government offering $30,000

Next Week: The Truro Murders (Part 2): The Victims: Veronica and Tania

Follow on us facebook:

 www.facebook.com/TheHauntsofAdelaide

Or buy the book by Haunting: Australia’s Allen Tiller – The Haunts of Adelaide: History, Mystery and the Paranormal – available in traditional book format or on Amazon Kindle at: http://www.amazon.com/The-Haunts-Adelaide-Allen-Tiller/dp/0994177895