Casefile True Crime - Case 109: Belanglo (Part 3)

Episode Date: April 6, 2019

[Part 3 of 5] After a witness comes forward to report a suspicious incident that occurred near Belanglo years earlier, the investigation quickly gains momentum. The spotlight is placed on a local family when one name keeps coming up repeatedly – Milat. --- Episode narrated by the Anonymous Host Episode researched by the Anonymous Host Episode written by Elsha McGill For all credits and sources please visit casefilepodcast.com/case-109-belanglo-part-3

Our episodes deal with serious and often distressing incidents. If you feel at any time you need support, please contact your local crisis centre. For suggested phone numbers for confidential support, please see the show notes for this episode on your app or on our website. 23 year old Paul Unions arrived in Australia from his hometown of Birmingham, England on December 22, 1989. Like many international backpackers before him, Paul had heard great things about the land down under and was looking forward to a summer of travel and adventure before embarking on a six month working holiday. He spent the first six weeks of his trip staying

at a hostel in Sydney where he visited the sites of the city and hung out with fellow travellers before deciding to head south to Victoria to see if he could find a job fruit picking. Paul considered catching a bus for the near 1,000 kilometre journey but several other backpackers advised him that hitch hiking was easier and a great way to save money. They recommended he take the triad and test the route, catch a train to Liverpool in Sydney's south west, walk to the Hume Highway then hitch a ride south to Melbourne. Following this advice, on January 25, 1990 Paul Unions boarded the train to Liverpool arriving at approximately 1pm. He set off for the Hume Highway on foot carrying all of his possessions

in an old green coloured army rucksack. Although traffic was busy, Paul wasn't having any luck hailing a ride and after an hour of wandering along in the oppressive afternoon sun, he veered off the highway at the town of Kassoula to refresh with a drink and a chocolate bar. Lost resting at Lombardo's news agency, Paul was approached by a stocky tanned skin man with dark hair and light eyes. He had a bushy horseshoe shaped mustache that Paul likened to famous Australian cricket player, Merv Hughes. The man introduced himself as Bill and asked the British backpacker if he needed a lift, offering to drive him as far as Canberra, a 280 kilometre drive south. Paul gratefully accepted the ride.

The two men climbed into Bill's Silver Nissan Patrol four-wheel drive vehicle, which had a red stripe down the side, chrome-plated side steps, a bull bar, curtains on the rear door windows, and a lamb's wool seat covers. Bill threw Paul's rucksack onto the back seat before getting behind the wheel and heading south along the Hume Highway. The pair engaged in small talk about the hot weather and Paul's upcoming travel plans. Bill was friendly and easy to talk to, explaining his family was from Yugoslavia and that he lived locally where he worked for the Roads and Traffic Authority in Liverpool. He was recently divorced and currently on a break from work, taking the opportunity to head to Canberra for a holiday with friends.

Paul politely responded to Bill's questions, advising that he had no family in Australia and that up until recently he had been in the British Navy. Bill asked Paul if he had any special forces training in the military to which he responded no. He worked as an air conditioning engineer. Bill's demeanor then started to shift, a conversation about immigration ensued during which Bill started to get agitated as he made several anti-British and anti-Asian remarks. The pair drove onwards in silence, Paul taking the moment to study his tense driver, noticing how Bill kept eyeing the rearview mirror and would gradually slow the car down before speeding up again as though contemplating whether or not to stop. Bill then explained that at this point

on the highway the radio signal started to fade and he would need to pull over shortly to grab some cassette tapes to listen to instead. Paul noted this as odd as there was already a number of cassette tapes within easy reach between the driver and passenger seats. As they came to a rise in the road about one kilometre from the entrance to Belangelo State Forest, Bill pulled the car over and started rummaging around under the driver's seat, saying he was looking for some tapes. Paul emerged from the vehicle to stretch his legs, an act that immediately drew Bill's eye, who warded his passenger to get back in. Paul did as he was told and fastened his seatbelt. Bill rummaged under the driver's seat once more

before lifting out a revolver and pointing at Paul's face, saying this is a robbery. Paul cited the shiny copper ends of at least four bullets in the handgun cylinder, confirming the weapon was loaded. He sat in complete disbelief, wondering if Bill was just having a laugh at his expense. After all, he was a backpacker travelling on a tight budget with nothing of value. He had nothing to steal. Yet, the menacing look in Bill's eyes assured him this was no joke. Paul slowly started unbuckling his seatbelt, causing Bill to bark. Put that fucking seatbelt back on. When Bill pulled out a bag full of ropes, Paul knew he had to escape the situation immediately. The bag of ropes seemed far more

sinister to him than the gun did. In a split second decision, he unclipped his seatbelt and leapt from the car, racing northwards up the Hume Highway. Bill yelled out, stop or I'll shoot, before firing at Paul. The bullets missed as the backpacker started running in a zigzag motion to make himself a harder target to hit. Paul onions, quote. I started running across the roadway and three or four cars were off to miss me, but nobody would stop. I looked up and didn't see any cars coming, and I turned around for the first time, and there was Bill chasing me. He was yelling at me, get back in the car, get back in the car. The two men reached the grassy median strip in the center of the highway,

where Bill launched a paw, grabbing him by the right sleeve of his shirt. The fabric tore, giving Paul one last chance to escape. He ran towards oncoming traffic whilst frantically waving his arms in the air as the Tarago van with a female driver approached. Paul stood directly in its way, deciding he would rather be run over than face whatever Bill had in store for him. When the van came to an abrupt stop, Paul ran to the passenger side sliding door, pulled it open, and jumped inside. He locked the door behind him while yelling at the confused driver. He's got a gun. He's got a gun. The driver of the Tarago, Joann Berry, sped away and took Paul straight to Bowerill police station,

where he reported his near-death confrontation with Bill. He explained that his rucksack was in Bill's car containing all of his belongings, including clothing, a camera, a plane ticket, $500 cash, his British passport, a gold chain, and some personal papers. A message was broadcast over police radio notifying officers to be on the lookout for a silver Nissan Patrol four-wheel drive vehicle being driven by a man with a Murph Hughes-style mustache. Given that Paul was unable to take note of the vehicle's number plate, he was advised that the chances of locating his assailant would be slim. Before Paul left the police station, a senior officer pulled him aside to tell him how lucky he

was to be alive, hoping the experience provided the foreign backpacker a valuable lesson on the dangers of hitchhiking. Paul was handed money for a train trip back to Sydney, where he returned to his former hostel and warned other travelers of his ordeal. Paul remained in Australia for several months before returning to England, vowing to never hitchhike again. Four years later, the unsolved murders of James Gibson, Deborah Everest, Simone Schmidel, Gabor Neugebauer, Anja Habschied, Joanne Walters, and Caroline Clark received heavy coverage by international media outlets. They titled the killer The Beast of the Bush as UK tabloids published unsubstantiated claims that the perpetrator had murdered 20 people across two decades.

One crude headline read, Crocodile Dundee Adventure Girls Found Dead in the Woods, whilst Australia Phobic Articles declared, 250,000 people a year tracked to danger. As a direct result of the murders, Australia was ranked by foreign media as one of the five most dangerous locations for tourists to accept a ride from strangers, listed alongside South Africa, Chile, Zimbabwe, and the United States. Meanwhile, the Balingalo area had reached instant notoriety, prompting visitors to venture into the forest to satisfy their morbid curiosity. Balingalo signs along the Hume Highway were stolen on two separate occasions by visitors seeking a macabre souvenir. As Englishman Paul Unions read news reports of the seven

backpackers found murdered in Australia, he felt a shiver run up his spine. He immediately recognised the similarities between the crimes and his encounter with Bill on the Hume Highway in January 1990. Paul picked up the phone and contacted Australian authorities, realising he may have survived a brush with the Balingalo serial killer. Paul Unions' harrowing escape was corroborated by his rescuer Jo-Ann Berry, who had independently reported the incident via the Task Force Air hotline. The formal statement the British backpacker provided Bowerl police immediately following the attack had been misplaced over the years. However, one officer who had been on duty that day still

had a notebook that contained some details she had jotted down about the incident, including that the perpetrator had a distinct horseshoe mustache in the same style as Australian cricket player Merve Hughes, drove a silver four-wheel drive, was of Yugoslavian descent, and claimed to have worked at the Roads and Traffic Authority. Four and a half months after the last of the seven young backpackers who were uncovered in Balingalo, her shared memorial service was held in the forest at the former side of the police command post. February 5, 1994 was a scorching hot day, but despite the heat, over 200 mourners gathered to pay their respects to the victims and to their loved ones, with relatives, friends, locals, and officials in attendance.

For Anglican Reverend Steve Davis, the service aimed to help the community and families come to terms with the tragedy, closing one chapter while ensuring the case remained in the spotlight until it was solved. Reverend Davis explained, The service talks about injustice in our world and the fact, as it were, that the good guys seem to often get it, but the bad guys get away with it. Where is the justice? That's the question I'll be asking with the families today. New South Wales Premier John Fay acknowledged the tireless efforts of the New South Wales police force and state emergency services before unveiling a memorial plaque honoring the victims.

At red, this plaque commemorates the memory of the following persons whose remains were found in the Balingalo Forest during 1992 and 1993. Caroline Jane Clark, United Kingdom Deborah Phyllis Everest, Australia James Harold Gibson, Australia Anja Habschied, Germany Gabor Kurt Neugebauer, Germany Simone Loretta Schmidl, Germany Joanne Leslie Walters, United Kingdom Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ the Jesus, our Lord. Reeths were laid alongside the plaque, as James Gibson's mother Peg thanked those present for their prayers and support, saying, As a mother of one of the young people buried here in the forest,

I feel I can talk for my own family, but also, I feel whatever I say will be echoed by the other families involved. Premier Fay said police would not stop hunting for the killer. Remarking, this is a crime which the New South Wales police would dearly love to solve and I'm sure the entire New South Wales community would want to know that someone has been brought to justice. To assist investigators with identifying a suspect, several criminal experts were called in to create a psychological profile of the Balingalo serial killer. The first was assembled by forensic psychiatrist Dr. Rod Milton, who had visited each crime scene upon their discovery. He concluded the murders followed a similar pattern and were premeditated by someone of sound

mind. Yet, the way the bodies were haphazardly covered by forest debris suggested that even though the killer planned to commit the attacks, they may have been ill-prepared when the opportunity actually presented itself. It was clear to Dr. Milton that the perpetrators' acts were driven by a need for power and that they derived pleasure from brutality. After attending Joanne Walters and Caroline Clark's crime scene, Dr. Milton devised a theory that he stuck by throughout the discovery of the remaining victims. As all seven backpackers were killed in a number of different ways, with varying levels of violence, the forensic psychiatrist was certain the murders were not the work of a sole perpetrator, but a killer pair working in tandem.

The separation of the paired Balingalo victims indicated the perpetrators sought privacy from one another whilst carrying out their assaults. Her concern typically reserved for offenders who are related. Dr. Milton concluded the killers were brothers, with the eldest being the more dominant of the pair. The frenzied stabbings were probably committed by the rebellious younger brother who wanted to leave a mark, while the calm and controlled older brother used the firearm. Dr. Milton believed the familiarity in which the killers traversed the forest implied they lived locally, possibly together. They were probably low-income earners which compelled them to keep the backpackers' belongings not just the service trophies, but because the items were valuable

and useful. Their interest in firearms could mean they belonged to a gun club or participated in related hobbies such as hunting. Dr. Milton stressed that profiling was not an exact science and acknowledged the similarities across crime scenes also implied the killer may have acted alone. However, he proposed these commonalities could have been the result of the dominating older brother who had the final word on how the crimes were carried out. Dr. Milton's multi-perpetrator theory was supported by Dr. Richard Basham, a psychological anthropologist who also provided insight into the profile of the Balangelo serial killer. Dr. Basham explained the killer's use of a silencer suggested he

lived in a fantasy world where he viewed himself as an outlaw, and therefore he may own a motorcycle. He believed the perpetrator didn't live in a remote or rural area, otherwise they would have used their own property to carry out the attacks. Although he too was open to differing possibilities, Dr. Basham agreed the separation of the paired victims strongly indicated that more than one killer was involved in the crimes. However, he conceded that a killer acting alone may have divided his victims for control purposes or because he was unable to perform in front of an onlooker. Dr. Basham's theory centered around the belief that the perpetrator began his killing spray alone,

then enlisted the help of an accomplice over time. One month after the first victims, James Gibson and Deborah Everest were killed, the lone perpetrator attempted to abduct Paul Onions but failed. Rattled by this misstep, he seemed to have laid low for a year before launching another attack. Simone Schmiddle would have presented as the ideal victim for the killer to resume his spree, as he would have perceived the solo female backpacker as easier to control. Once the killer regained confidence, his focus returned to targeting traveling pairs, but he was now cautious of the risks presented when acting alone. As such, he teamed up with an accomplice for the murders of Gabor Neugebauer and Anja Habsheet,

then Joanne Walters and Caroline Clark. Like Dr. Milton, Dr. Basham agreed the murders could be the work of siblings, saying, I would suspect brothers, particularly if you were talking about crimes of this magnitude. He believed the barbaric act of decapitating Anja was carried out by the more dominant of the two as a statement to the other, proving his power over both victim and subordinate. Experts from the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation formed the contrary opinion, believing the murders were the work of one man, as their study showed it was incredibly rare for two or more serial killers to operate together. Agents from the Bureau's Behavioral Science

Unit helped Australian authorities create a criminal profile of the bilingual serial killer, using their renowned techniques. Their method collated psychological evaluations, case reports, personal histories, and interviews conducted with serial killers to narrow down a suspect's potential age, sex, race, physical build, social habits, and family background. The advanced system, which had a proven success rate of 78 to 80%, identified the bilingual killer as a Caucasian male of strong build, aged between 25 and 45. Although considered a loner who was not very good at establishing close relationships, he was socially adept and came across as friendly and charming to avoid arousing suspicion.

He probably held a higher birth order status in his family, possibly the first born son, with a father who had a stable work history. His childhood was inconsistent, marred with troubles at school and then dealings with police during his adolescence. He may have been a back woodsman who spent a lot of time in the bush, either working, hunting, or hiking, and was very comfortable in that environment. In terms of employment, he was a skilled tradesman with an erratic work history, although he may well hold down a steady job. The killer had a preference for high-risk victims, specifically hitchhikers, with no familial connections in the area. His crimes were methodically and carefully planned to deter detection, providing him feelings of superiority, control,

and cleverness. There was a strong chance he kept the belongings of his victims and followed the media reports about his crimes. As all seven backpackers were abducted during holiday periods, including Christmas, the Easter long weekend, or the summer school breaks, profilers believed the killer was propelled to act by some type of situational stress around these times, be it financial, marital, or work related. He would want to elicit a certain reaction from his victims, such as fear or passivity, while stacking out his emotions via torture, mutilation, dismemberment, or other perversions. While he was likely angry or depressed prior to the murders, committing the acts put him in a relaxed mood. When the bureau's detailed

profile of the Balingalos serial killer was released to the public and media, it caused some criminal experts to express concern. They believed that the increased attention might provoke an unfamiliar sense of desperation in the perpetrator, leading him to explode and conduct one final murder spree. Knowing it was only a matter of time before he was caught, he may intentionally put himself in a situation that forced the police to wend his life, rather than allow himself to be arrested and face punishment. When asked for his prediction, FBI Special Agent Les Davis warned, in all likelihood, he will kill again. Around Easter of 1992, months before any of the Balingalos victims had been found, news of the

disappearance of several foreign backpackers was the topic of conversation at building supply company Borrow Industries. Employee 38-year-old Richard Millatt was described as a quiet man, but was known to become more talkative when he smoked cannabis. As his workmates discussed the missing backpackers, Richard, who was clearly under the influence of marijuana, allegedly commented to his colleague, Des Butler, I know who killed the Germans. Months later, in September 1992, the murders of Joanne Walters and Caroline Clark were being discussed around the workplace. During one conversation about the crime, a stoned Richard allegedly told another colleague, Paul Douglas. There are two Germans out there. They haven't found them yet.

Later that day, during a discussion about Joanne and Caroline's known plans to hitchhike south along the Hume Highway, Richard allegedly remarked, you could pick up anybody on that road and you'd never find them again. You'd never find out who did it either. A few weeks later, the topic came up again, during which Richard allegedly stated, there are more bodies out there. They haven't found them all yet. A year later, shortly after James Gibson and Deborah Everest's remains were uncovered in Balingalo, an unrelated rape case was making national news. Richard Millatt was discussing the news story at work when, according to Paul Douglas, he allegedly remarked, stabbing a woman is like cutting a loaf of bread.

Paul was taken aback by the sinister remark, but shrugged it off, as Richard's bizarre comments were widely considered to be nothing more than drug-induced ramblings. It wasn't until the final three Balingalo victims were discovered, German citizens Simone Schmidl, Gabor Neugebauer and Daniel Habschede, that Paul felt uneasy, recalling the time Richard allegedly claimed that they hadn't found the Germans yet. Paul voiced his concerns to fellow colleague Des Butler, who was reminded of his own strange conversation with Richard, during which the man allegedly made the ominous statement, I know who killed the Germans. Des Butler called the crime stoppers hotline,

as his wife passed on Richard Millatt's details to a detective she knew personally. A background check revealed Richard had prior convictions for breaking and entering theft, cannabis possession and various traffic offences. As a precaution, his details were handed over to Task Force Air. The Millatt name had actually been on Task Force Air's radar since mid-October 1993, when only four of the seven Balingalo victims had been found. During investigations at the time, detectives visited the pistol club in Bowerl, the community on Balingalo's outskirts, where a club leader advised them to speak to one of their members named Alexander Millatt. The 53-year-old, who went by Alex, attended Bowerl police station two days later to detail an

incident he witnessed on April 26, 1992, one week after British backpackers Joanne Walters and Caroline Clark went missing. Whilst driving home from the pistol club with a friend, Alex passed two vehicles, a brown Ford Falcon sedan and a brown four-wheel drive. The two vehicles were entering the access road into Balingalo State Forest. Both vehicles contained several male occupants, with one woman positioned in the back seat of each vehicle between two men. Upon passing the vehicles, Alex made eye contact with the women who were gagged and frightened. He could no longer recall the vehicle's license plate numbers, but was able to provide an extraordinary level of detail in his descriptions of the men in the cars, including their complexions,

hairstyles and tattoos. When asked why he didn't think to report this incident to the police when it happened, or after Joanne Walters and Caroline Clark's remains were found, Alex Millatt explained he thought it was, quote, just some young blokes taking some girls into the forest to have a good time. Detectives questioned Alex's driving companion, Bill Ayers, who also witnessed the two vehicles heading into Balingalo that day, but Bill could not corroborate Alex's account of the two restrained women. Alex's statement raised many questions for the head of Task Force Air, Superintendent Clive Small, who later commented in his book Inside Australia's Biggest Manhunt. Given he had been looking through the window of a moving vehicle, the level of detail in

Alex's statement was extraordinary, not to say bizarre. Questions began to pile up in my mind. Was it a complete fabrication? If so, what was Alex's motive? Was Alex involved in the murders and playing a game with the Task Force? Did Alex know something about the murders, and was he trying to tell the Task Force something without coming out directly and providing that information? Alex's statement was passed between Task Force Air Detectives over the course of the investigation, until one recognized the Millatt surname from other tip-offs provided by the public. Alex's younger brother Richard had been named dropped to investigators for the chewing remarks he allegedly made to co-workers about the

murders. And a third Millatt brother, Ivan, had been named through the hotline, as he had family with property not far from Balingalo, drove a four-wheel drive, and possessed several firearms. Curious to discover what else they could find about the three siblings, a team of five detectives were tasked to conduct a further investigation into the Millatt family. As described in the book Sins of the Brother by Mark Whittaker and Delez Kennedy, the Millatt family was extensive, consisting of 14 children in total, 10 sons, and four daughters. The family's patriarch, Stephen Millatt, moved to Sydney from Croatia in 1926, seeking better employment prospects. In 1934, 32-year-old Stephen was walking along the street

when a 14-year-old girl named Margaret Piddleston rode into him on her bicycle. Margaret invited Stephen back to her home for a cup of tea, and the two started spending time together reading, listening to the radio, and going to the movies. Stephen proposed to Margaret when she was 15 years old, and to the pair were married in her parents' backyard a year later. The newlyweds moved to a small flat in a working-class suburb of Sydney, where Stephen laboured as a warfee on the harbour's waterfront. In 1937, they relocated to the rural area of Keenley Vale to a property with no electricity or plumbing. Their first child, Olga, was born two years later, followed by 13 more children over the next 23 years. Alexander, Boris, Mary, Ivan, Shirley, William, Michael, Walter, George,

Margaret, Richard, David, and Paul. At one stage, Stephen partnered with his father-in-law to establish a market garden that ultimately provided him enough money to buy a significant block of land in the southwest Sydney suburb of Moorbank in the Liverpool district. He quit working on the wharves and with the help of his many children, grew tomatoes, cabbages, and other vegetables. Although their garden was successful, the Malat family remained on the poverty line, living in a two-room shack with dirt-packed floors where everyone worked long hours sustaining the crops and slept on the ground. Stephen started drinking heavily and was prone to violent outbursts at his wife and children, with neighbours describing him as a brute. When Stephen was 52, his entire

harvest of tomatoes was stolen in the middle of the night, prompting him to give up gardening and accept a job working 12-hour shifts as a labourer for a concrete manufacturer. Each day, he walked the 20-kilometre round trip to his new workplace, giving the Malat children plenty of time without the supervision and discipline of their father. The Malat siblings had spent so much of their youth working in their father's gardens that they had socialised very little with other children. Many days were spent exploring the bush surrounding their rural property, where they shot targets, rabbits, and birds. The Malat brothers attended a Catholic high school in Liverpool where their teachers were known to hand out disciplinary beatings,

leading the boys to have a disdain for authority figures. Several developed a reputation for getting into fights, skipping class, and finding themselves in trouble with the law. Every couple of days, the police would appear on Margaret Malat's doorstep to report some kind of incident involving her sons. The mother was quick to defend her children, insisting the officers had made a mistake and naming other children in the neighbourhood as the ones to blame. Margaret would then withhold the boys misbehaviour from their father to spare them from harsh punishment. In 1969, Stephen and Margaret Malat sold the Moorbank property and bought a house on Campbell Hill Road in the western Sydney suburb of Guildford,

where many of their children remained well into their adult years. In 1971, their youngest daughter, 16-year-old Margaret, was killed in a car accident just one kilometre from the family home while her brother Walter was behind to the wheel. The loss had a devastating impact on the family. Just over a decade later, in 1983, Stephen Malat died of cancer at the age of 81. By 1993, many of the Malat siblings still lived in the southwest Sydney area, and some resided in the southern Highlands region. A cursory background check into the Malat family revealed some members had criminal records ranging from minor traffic offences to more serious crimes including extortion and armed robbery.

One of the more problematic Malat sons, Ivan, was a loner who had a proclivity towards antisocial and criminal behaviour from a young age. At 13 years old, he was sent to a residential school for adolescent boys with behavioural issues, but it had little impact on curbing his troublesome ways. When he returned home a year later, Ivan began committing thefts and break-ins, resulting in a six-month stint in a juvenile detention centre at age 17. In 1963, 19-year-old Ivan broke into a shop and stole a car battery, but managed to flee the scene before police arrived. Officers found Ivan's older brother Boris waiting in a car nearby and subsequently charged him for the robbery. Boris refused to name his accomplice, and his

loyalty ensured Ivan went unpunished. The following year, Ivan received his first adult conviction for break and enter, and was sentenced to 18 months in prison. A month after his parole, Ivan and his brother William, or Bill as he was known, were arrested for driving a stolen car. Ivan went on the run prior to court proceedings, leaving Bill to face an 18-month prison term for the crime. With the help of his mother, Ivan was able to evade police detection for several months before his eventual capture. In court, Boris Malat perched himself on the witness stand in an attempt to provide his brother a false alibi, but Ivan was found guilty and sentenced to two years' hard labour at the notoriously rough, graft and maximum security prison.

After being released on parole in April 1967, Ivan commenced work for the Roads and Traffic Authority in Liverpool. Five months later, he and his brother Michael were found guilty of theft. Michael was sentenced to two years, while 22-year-old Ivan was sentenced to three. While Ivan and Michael served time, several other Malats were getting into their own troubles, having developed a formidable reputation around town. They were fiercely loyal and protective of one another. Yet, Ivan didn't treat his brothers with the same level of respect they showed him, instigating romantic affairs with several of their partners. In 1975, 30-year-old Ivan began work as a driver for a Liverpool-based trucking company.

A majority of his runs were along the Hume Highway to places like Galbin, Canberra and Yass, but he was also given several long-haul interstate jobs to Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and to the Gold Coast. Ivan was introduced to a 16-year-old girl named Karen, who had fallen pregnant to one of his cousins just six weeks earlier. This didn't stop Ivan from pursuing a relationship with the teenager. On their first date, Ivan grabbed Karen by the throat and raped her. After Karen forgave Ivan for the act, the two officially became a couple, remaining together after the birth of Karen's son and moving into a caravan in the backyard of the Malat family home in Guildford. In October 1976, 31-year-old Ivan left his truck-driving job

and went back to working for the Roads and Traffic Authority, which sent him across the state for weeks at a time to places like the Hunter Valley, Lithgow, Newcastle, the Blue Mountains and down the South Coast. He spent his spare time on shooting trips with his brothers or meticulously working on his car, constantly polishing, washing and evacuming it. He was also dedicated to maintaining his strong physique, keeping in shape by lifting homemade weights he had constructed out of metal pipes and buckets of cement. By 1981, Ivan bought a house in the greater Western Sydney suburb of Blackett. He had become increasingly controlling of Karen, isolating her and forbidding her from associating with her friends or family. They married at the registry in 1983, leading Karen to lose

her single mother pension and rely solely on Ivan's income, for which he demanded she account for every single cent she spent. Following the death of his father in 1983, the physical, emotional and sexual abuse Ivan inflicted on his wife worsened, with the smallest thing setting him off. After his violent outbursts, Ivan would spend several days at his mother's house, threatening never to return to Karen. Around this time, workmates noticed Ivan started reading gun magazines and carrying a pistol, which he kept either tucked into his boots or underneath the driver's seat of his car. After a wave of robberies hit the Blackett area, Ivan became obsessed with security and started a neighborhood watch program. He even bought an

engraving kit, imprinting his name on all of his possessions, from valuable items to the kitchen toaster. In early 1987, Ivan threw a glass at Karen that narrowly missed hitting her young son. This was the tipping point for Karen, and the next time Ivan was away for work, she packed up and left. Devastated by his wife's departure, Ivan refused to return to their home in Blackett, moving in with his mother in Guildford. He sold the Blackett property for well under market value, forging Karen's signature on documents to facilitate the quick sale. He refused to give her any of the payout, instead using some of the money to buy himself a silver Nissan Patrol four-wheel drive, registering it under the name of his brother, Bill.

A year after Ivan and Karen's separation, a fire broke out in her parents' garage that destroyed all of its contents, including two vehicles. Ivan was questioned, as he had previously threatened to burn their house down if they didn't tell him where Karen was now living. He denied all responsibility, and as there was no solid proof linking him to the arson, no charges were filed. The roads and traffic authority started garnishing Ivan's wage in order to provide maintenance payments to Karen, motivating him to quit his job after 12 years of service to avoid her getting a cent of his money. He then used his brother Bill's name and birth date for his next two jobs to avoid having his wages docked for spouse or support payments.

Meanwhile, Ivan reignited a relationship with an old flame, a woman named Marilyn. The two had a long and sordid history that began when Ivan was 19 years old, first becoming romantically involved while Marilyn was in a relationship with Ivan's older brother, Boris. Their affairs banned years, resulting in the birth of a daughter and generating an abundance of tension within the Malat family. In 1971, Marilyn chose to marry Boris, officially ending things with Ivan and leaving him heartbroken. As both of their marriages had since failed, the former lovers reconnected and started spending their weekends together, driving to remote areas where Ivan would shoot birds and other targets.

Marilyn noted a change in Ivan's personality. He had developed a hardened edge and violent temper, seemingly taking pleasure in the suffering of the creatures he hunted. In August of 1989, Marilyn ended their relationship for a second time after Ivan admitted he had no desire to marry again. The breakup left Ivan devastated. Two months later, his divorce from Karen was finalised and as he was no longer financially indebted to his ex-wife, he returned to work at the Rhodes and Traffic Authority. In June 1992, Ivan's sister Shirley introduced him to a woman named Chalinda and the two became a couple. Their relationship came as a surprise to some as Chalinda was of Indian heritage and Ivan had a reputation for being racist.

But Chalinda's influence seemed to have a positive effect on Ivan. Hyenty's sister Shirley bought a piece of land on Cinnabar Street in the southwest Sydney suburb of Eaglevale, building a single-story, four-bedroom brick veneer home just 350 metres away from the Hume Highway and 88 kilometres north of Balangelo. Having piqued their interest, task force air detectives conducted a background check on Ivan Malat but found nothing in their modern computer computerised records that fit the behavioural profile of the Balangelo serial killer. To cover all bases, Superintendent Clive Small ordered Detective Paul Gordon to manually check the old microfilm database that stored pre-1984 criminal records. As Detective Gordon searched

the antiquated system, Ivan Malat's name came up in relation to a crime that occurred in 1971, when he was 27 years old. The discovery prompted Detective Gordon to race into Superintendent Small's office and inform his leader. He's our man. He did it. On April 9, 1971, two decades before the seven murdered backpackers were discovered in Balangelo, 18-year-olds Grace and Marissa, not their real names, started on foot from Liverpool towards the Hume Highway. They planned to hitchhike south to Melbourne to visit Grace's mother. They had barely ventured far from the train station when a car pulled up beside them. The male driver explained he was heading south and offered to take the pair part of the way to

Melbourne. Grace and Marissa gratefully accepted the ride and climbed into the car. Marissa had taken three sleeping pills and soon crashed out in the back seat. Grace, who was riding in the passenger seat, had taken a valium and she too eventually dozed off. When the young women awoke a while later, they realised they were no longer on the Hume Highway, but instead parked down a gravel road. Their driver turned to them and said, I'm going to have sex with both of you, before threatening to kill them if they didn't obey. Grace attempted to reason with the man, stating she and Marissa were both psychiatric patients undergoing treatment for sex-related disorders. Urging him to leave them alone, Grace mentioned

God, causing the man to explain that he no longer believed in God because his 16-year-old sister had been killed in a car accident. They argued back and forth for some time before Grace said she was going to be sick and tried to get out of the car, but the man grabbed her by the neck. He pulled out two knives and two lengths of nylon cord, again threatening to kill the women if they refused to have sex with him. Marissa promised they wouldn't go to the police if he just let them go, giving him permission to tie them up so he could get away. He bound Grace by the hands and feet, then started to restrain Marissa, telling her, You know what I'm going to do. I'm going to kill the both of you. You won't scream when I cut your throats, will you? Either one of you has sex with

me, or I will kill you both. Terrified and desperate, Marissa complied with her assailant's demands. Grace was ordered to keep lookout as the man proceeded to rape Marissa inside his vehicle. Afterwards, he told them they would all sleep together in the car, but Grace complained she was still feeling sick. He agreed to take the young women to get a drink, driving them into the nearby regional town of Gulban before pulling into a BP service station. Grace remained in the car with their abductor as Marissa rented the store alone. Once inside, she proceeded to inform a staff member about her ordeal and explained that her attacker was armed with a knife. The attendant wanted to call the police,

but Marissa urged her not to as her friend was still in danger. At that point, the man entered the service station to ask Marissa if she needed more money. They purchased three cans of soft drink and then walked outside to his car. Unbeknownst to either of them, a group of men had overheard Marissa speaking to the attendant and followed her out of the store. Their presence gave the two young women the confidence to execute an escape and they both ran from the car. Their assailant drove off, heading northward along the Hume Highway. Police were contacted and a patrol car scouting the highway spotted the suspect's vehicle and attempted to pull it over. The driver hit the accelerator and sped away,

only to be brought to a stop by a police roadblock that had been assembled a little further up the road. Upon his arrest, the suspect was identified as 27-year-old Ivan Malat. He denied raping Marissa, insisting it was a consensual act. The two survivors were taken to Goldman Hospital for treatment and although the doctors found no bruises or injuries on Marissa, there were red marks around Grace's wrist consistent with her having been restrained. Police searched Ivan's car but failed to find any robes or knives, nor were there signs of a struggle. Regardless, he was charged with rape and his mother fronted bail costs to enable his release pending court proceedings. Three months after Ivan was released on bail,

he joined his younger brother Michael to conduct a string of armed robberies and home invasions. With the help of two accomplices, the brothers robbed a corner store near Grandville, followed by a small bank in Canley Heights a few days later. They used a stolen vehicle for both crimes but after the second, Ivan was dropped off at his car by his accomplices, where an observant passer-by jotted down his vehicle's license plate number. Police eventually obtained confessions from three of the offenders, including Michael Malat, although Michael would later state his was given under duress after sustaining beatings from interviewing officers. He and Ivan were charged with two counts of armed robbery and

despite the pending rape charge against him, Ivan was again granted bail. Three months later, in October 1971, Ivan met with his lawyer John Marsden outside court to discuss their defence tactic for his armed robbery charges. Marsden admitted to his client that his prospects of beating the charge were, quote, stuff all, and that there was a high chance he would receive a 16-year jail term or longer. Ivan excused himself, explaining he was going to smoke a cigarette, but never returned. His failure to appear at his committal hearing resulted in a warrant being issued for his arrest. Later that same day, police found Ivan's car and a pair of his shoes at the top of the gap, an ocean-side cliff face in eastern Sydney known to be a notorious

suicide spot. Three years later, in 1974, the Malat family's matriarch Margaret was admitted to hospital. During her treatment, a call was placed to New South Wales police informing them that Ivan was present at his mother's bedside. As it turned out, Ivan had staged his suicide at the gap in 1971 before fleeing to New Zealand as travel between the two countries didn't require a passport at the time. He spent a year overseas before returning to Australia where he laid low for the next few years, adopting his brother Bill's identity to avoid detection, as he was one of the Malat sons who hadn't been in any recent trouble with the law. Upon his discovery, Ivan was promptly arrested and this time refused bail, pending trial for both his rape and armed

robbery charges. Ivan's trial for armed robbery began in December 1974. His brother Michael had since received a 16-year sentence for his involvement in the crimes, indicating the outcome didn't look good for Ivan. However, the detectives who originally worked on the case had become the subject of serious corruption allegations, which cast doubt on the evidence they had obtained against the defendants. Furthermore, Michael and the two other accomplices involved in the robberies refused to testify against Ivan and none of the witnesses could provide a positive identification. With all these factors combined, the jury returned a verdict of not guilty. Ivan's rape trial was scheduled for the following day and his lawyer John Marsden

had advised that a jail sentence seemed highly likely. Yet that evening, Marsden unintentionally stumbled across a situation that he recognized as having the potential to change Ivan's fate. Whilst dining at a gay and lesbian wine bar in Sydney, Marsden spotted Ivan's two survivors, Grace and Marissa, who were holding hands and sharing several intimate moments. Although Marsden was gay himself, the situation presented a decisive opportunity for his client. When Marissa took the stand in court the next day, the defense counsel questioned her whereabouts on the previous night. Marissa explained she had been at home with her parents, allowing John Marsden to catch her in a lie. He pressed her about her presence at the bar

in Sydney, causing Marissa to break down in tears and admit the truth. With the witnesses' sexuality and integrity now under the scrutiny of the conservative jury, Marsden put forth the accusation that the sex acts between Marissa and his client were consensual. The further she was questioned by the defense, the more Marissa began to doubt her original allegations. Marsden asked her, thinking back, you wanted this man to have sex with you, didn't you? To which an emotionally exhausted and uncertain Marissa responded, yes. When later speaking about his actions in court that day in his book, I Am What I Am, John Marsden said, juries in those days were extremely prejudiced against gays and lesbians, and on top of that,

we had to put into their minds the possibility that the sex may have indeed been consensual. I'm not proud of my conduct that day, but as a solicitor operating in a courtroom environment at the time, I had no choice but to go down that path. I had to act according to the ethics of the profession. Grace took the stand after her friend, maintaining that she had been forcefully tied up by Ivan and that he had raped Marissa. Despite her testimony, the defense tactic to undermine the survivor's credibility proved advantageous, with the jury returning a verdict of not guilty. The 1971 attack on Grace and Marissa bore many similarities to the crimes committed against the seven backpackers murdered between 1989 and 1992. Investigators believed that,

just like Grace and Marissa, the young hitchhikers were offered a lift by a man who took them along the Hume Highway towards Belangelo before threatening them with a weapon and restraining them with ropes. The now 49-year-old Ivan Malat also bore a striking resemblance to the man identified as Bill, who had attempted to abduct English backpacker Paul Unions in early 1990. Ivan intermittently sported a bushy horseshoe-style mustache, was stocky, and had a Yugoslavian father. Ivan was also known to go by his brother's name, Bill, when hesitant to use his own. At the time of Paul Unions' attack, Ivan was the owner of a Silver Nissan Patrol four-wheel drive, the same vehicle used by Paul's assailant.

Additionally, Paul's attacker stated he worked for the Roads and Traffic Authority in Liverpool, which Ivan did at the time. Further inquiries revealed Ivan was not at work on January 25, 1990, the day of Paul Unions' failed abduction. Likewise, he was confirmed to have been on leave on the dates all seven Belangelo murder victims went missing. Ivan claimed to work colleagues that he had been in Queensland throughout early to mid-January 1991. Yet, his Nissan Patrol was photographed by a red light camera in Sydney at midnight on the 16th, proving he was back home when Simone Schmidl disappeared only days later. Just over a week after Gabor, Noigabella and Anja Habshe disappeared, Ivan approached his next-door neighbour,

a former mechanic and panel-beater, asking if he could fix a hole in his Nissan Patrol. When the neighbour inspected the damage, he immediately recognised it as a bullet hole. Ivan explained he was on a hunting trip when his gun discharged from the driver's seat and impacted the front passenger side door. The hole was patched and re-sprayed, with the fastidious Ivan recording the repair job in his vehicle's manual. Upon his return to work, Ivan pointed out the repair job to his co-workers, which was evident given that the paint used to cover the hole was not an exact match to the car's original colour. Ivan later sold the Nissan and replaced it with another four-wheel drive,

a red-holden Jackaroo, alternating between driving this vehicle and his beloved Harley-Davidson motorcycle. After confirming Ivan Malat was unaccounted for when all Belangelo victims went missing, he became a prime suspect for their murders. However, Task Force air investigators still had insufficient grounds to justify an application to have a phone intercept door-listening device installed in Ivan's home or to request a search warrant. On February 26, 1994, Ivan was placed under police surveillance as investigators watched the home he shared with his sister Shirley on Cinnabar Street in Eaglevale, as well as his work site in southwestern Sydney. Cinnabar Street residents noticed the irregular

activity in the neighbourhood, which began with the plumbing van parked on the street corner, followed by the ongoing appearance of an electricity van. A hold on Commodore was also seen driving around the area on numerous occasions, prompting concerned locals to fear that a gang was scoping out their neighbourhood to plan an elaborate robbery. One neighbour called police to report the suspicious vehicles and was advised that they were part of a major operation, which quickly became the talk of Eaglevale. During the early days of the surveillance operation on Ivan Malat, Superintendent Small was interviewed about the Balingelo serial killer case for the ABC's current affairs program Four

Corners. The interview took place in Small's office, where he firmly denied that there were any suspects in the killings. Unbeknownst to the superintendent, the footage captured a whiteboard positioned behind him, which displayed the words, air slash Malat. When the program aired on March 4, 1994, an astute viewer noticed this detail and contacted both the ABC and Task Force air detectives to complain. The viewer was Alex Malat, who was unaware his younger brother was being viewed as a suspect for the murders. Alex was concerned the whiteboard featured his surname due to the previous statements he had provided to police regarding the two gagged women he witnessed being driven into Balingelo. Four Corners agreed to pixelate the Malat name

during repeats of the episode and nothing further came of it. Task Force air had narrowly avoided a close call that could have jeopardised their entire operation. As the surveillance continued into mid-March, investigators grew increasingly concerned that their suspect may be onto them. Inquiries by one detective hadn't been as discreet as directed, and Ivan had been informed by colleagues and associates that police were investigating him in relation to the Balingelo murders. Ivan appeared to be unfazed and would grin at the news, saying he had nothing to worry about. In one instance, Ivan was driving with a co-worker who observed a car that appeared to be following them. Ivan calmly stated, that's the coppers, they're watching me.

Although the surveillance operation failed to uncover anything incriminating, it was noted that Ivan suddenly started paying unannounced visits to people he hadn't seen in years, including old neighbours and work colleagues. Investigators believed he may have been digging around to see just how far their inquiries had progressed. Concerned that the surveillance might compel their suspect to dispose of evidence, in early April, Superintendent Clive Small ordered a temporary halt on the operation while investigators assessed the risk. 18 days later, the surveillance was deemed safe to continue. As the operation recommenced, police were anxious to uncover some hard evidence to link

Ivan Malat to the Balingelo murders. They sought assistance from the person that could most likely help identify their suspect, Paul Onions. Paul arrived in Sydney from England on May 2, 1994, where he agreed to re-enact the events from four years earlier. Paul took detectives from the Liverpool train station to Lombardo's news agency in Kassoula, where he had accepted a ride from the man who introduced himself as Bill. Paul then drove with detectives along the Hume Highway, where he pointed out the area that his violent confrontation with Bill occurred. A location just 900 metres north of the Balingelo forest entrance. Afterwards, Paul was shown a video containing the photographs of 13 different males and was advised to point out any that he recognized

as the man who assaulted him in 1990. The video played through in full, after which Paul requested the view it again. After the second viewing, he asked to have another look at images 4 and 7. When number 4 came up, Paul said, that's him. Photograph number 4 was of Ivan Malat. Task Force Air now had enough evidence against Ivan Malat to charge him with the attempted abduction and armed robbery of Paul Onions. This permitted them to obtain a listening device on the telephone line connected to Ivan's Eaglevale property. They considered installing additional listening devices inside the house, but a complex electronic security system which

Ivan activated every time he left home was near impossible to bypass without detection. Despite Paul Onions positively identifying Ivan as the man who attacked him near Balingelo, investigators still hadn't obtained any concrete evidence that proved Ivan's involvement in the murders of James Gibson, Deborah Everest, Simone Schmidel, Gabor Neugebauer, Anya Habsheed, Joanne Walters or Caroline Clark. As criminal profilers were certain the Balingelo serial killer would have retained some of his victims' belongings as morbid trophies, the Task Force considered conducting a raid of Ivan's home. Yet, it was a huge risk. If they proceeded and found nothing, their cover would be well and truly blown. But, if they managed to find a single item to link

Ivan to the crimes, like one of the murder weapons or a backpack, sleeping bag or passport belongings to one of the seven victims, they could make their case. After weighing up the pros and cons, Task Force Air decided to go through with the raid. The surveillance team were ordered to continue to keep a close eye on Ivan in the days leading up to the event, in case he attempted to dispose of any evidence. The day before the scheduled raid on Ivan Malat's home, two Task Force Air detectives paid a visit to the Southern Highlands town of Bargo to question Ivan's younger brother Bill and his wife Caroline, hoping their visit might generate some chatter on Ivan's phone line.

The detectives were greeted by the couple's daughter, Deborah, who was at the house with her infant son Matthew, while her parents holidayed in the South Coast town of Lake Tabari. The detectives advised the Deborah they wanted to speak to Bill about Ivan's habit of registering vehicles using his name. When Deborah later phoned her father to inform him of the visit, he instructed her to pass the information on to Ivan. Deborah spoke to her uncle that night, but Ivan brushed off her concerns, instead inquiring about his baby nephew, stating, Don't worry about it. Now, how's little Matthew? That same day, detectives traveled down to Lake Tabari to question Bill in person, explaining

their inquiries were in relation to an armed robbery. As to why Ivan registered vehicles under his name, Bill stated it was to make use of his rural address, as registration and insurance were cheaper in his area. Bill later phoned his brother, but once again, Ivan expressed no worry that police were actively investigating him. Detectives listening in on the calls pondered whether Ivan's calm reaction was a cover as he suspected his phone calls were being monitored. The surveillance team maintained watch of Ivan the entire day, observing that at 1.27 p.m. he traveled to the town of Kasula to visit Lombardo's news agency, the very place he once offered a ride to the young foreign traveler, Paul Onions.

Elsewhere that same day, the day before the raid was scheduled at Ivan's house. Other detectives traveled to Queensland to visit Ivan's brother, Alex, who had since relocated interstate from his southern Highlands home. The timing of his move was of interest to investigators, as it occurred shortly after Joanne Walters and Caroline Clark's remains were discovered in Balingalo. After he and his wife Joanne welcomed detectives inside, Alex once again maintained his story about witnessing two restrained women being driven into Balingalo in 1992, scrupulously sticking by his original statement. Since the spotlight had been cast on Ivan, investigators considered the possibility that

Alex knew his brother was involved with the murders and made up the bizarre sighting as a way to tip police off without blatantly coming forward and betraying his younger sibling. Alex admitted to owning ammunition and presented his large supplier, which included several .22 caliber Winchester brand winner model bullets, the exact same type recovered from Caroline Clark and Gabor Neugebauer's crime scenes. Alex made no comment about the potentially incriminating ammunition. Detectives spoke with Joanne and Alex further. During their conversation, Joanne suddenly made an unprompted comment about serial killers and how they often liked

to keep souvenirs from their victims, stating, quote, you know, like backpacks. The stunned detectives remained stone faced as they asked Joanne if she owned any backpacks. Joanne nodded and presented a blue Salewa brand pack adorned with a lilac pattern. The detectives recognized it immediately. It was identical to the one carried by Simone Schmiddle. Joanne opened up the top flap and pointed out a pair of initials that were imprinted underneath. I am. When asked where she got the backpack from, Joanne replied. Ivan gave it to me. In the early hours of Sunday, May 22, 1994, Superintendent Small briefed 50 police officers in preparation for their deployment to Eaglevale. Quote,

We're here to arrest Ivan Malat over the attempted abduction and attempt to shoot poor onions. Malat is considered a violent and dangerous person. He is believed to be well armed. We don't know what to expect and are not taking any chances. Six squad cars blocked off Cinnabar Street at both ends, while tactical police secured the inner perimeter of Ivan's property, where their suspect and his girlfriend, Chalinda, were sleeping inside. By 6.36am, the house was surrounded. Police negotiator Detective Wayne Gordon placed a phone call to the home and a groggy Ivan Malat picked up, saying, Hello. To be continued next week.