Cold case: Riverland man being investigated over deaths of four people in the 1990s

A RIVERLAND man who cannot be identified for legal reasons may be one of South Australia’s most prolific serial killers.

A RIVERLAND man who cannot be identified for legal reasons may be one of South Australia’s most prolific serial killers.

Well-known to police because of his criminal activities during the past 25 years, he is being investigated for his possible involvement in the murder of four of his associates who vanished over a seven-year period in the 1990s.

While the man, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, has been the central figure in a police Major Crime Investigation Section investigation codenamed Operation Jarrah for some time, detectives have been unable to obtain crucial evidence needed to secure a breakthrough in the case.

Detectives have revealed Operation Jarrah is to be reviewed and fresh investigations conducted to try to find more evidence and are hoping rewards totalling $1.6 million posted by the State Government will prompt any witnesses to come forward and provide information that will assist in locating the remains of the four victims and secure a prosecution.

Major Crime case officer Detective Senior Sergeant Mark McEachern said the operation was launched as a result of investigations by Sturt CIB detectives into the hijacking of a truck carrying $500,000 in cigarettes at Torrensville in July, 1998.

The heist is one of the largest ever in Adelaide, carried out by armed men wearing masks and overalls.

While the truck was found burnt out the same day, the cargo was never recovered.

Investigations by Sturt CIB detectives led to a warehouse at Welland rented by a man named David McWilliams, 40, who could not be located. Initially, detectives thought this was because he may have been in hiding following the cigarette heist, but they would soon discover otherwise.

It was while detectives were interviewing associates of McWilliams — in connection with the robbery — that they discovered another man, Leo Daly, 33, had been murdered several months earlier by the criminals who were the prime suspects in the robbery.

Detectives believe Daly, a petty criminal also involved in the drug world, was bashed in April, 1998, at Mitchell Park by two men before being taken to sea off Cape Jervis and dumped overboard. The motive for his murder was apparently a $1000 drug debt.

While detectives continued investigating Daly’s murder and the cigarette truck heist, they received information that McWilliams had also been murdered. An informant revealed he had been killed by the ringleader in the robbery because he was bragging about his involvement.

As investigations continued into the Daly and McWilliams’ murders, more information was received about a third murder of an associate of the group.

The associate, Robert Pendergastokok, 31, had arrived in Adelaide in January, 1999, and was murdered a month later.

“We believe he has been murdered by the same group of criminal associates,’’ Det. Sen-Sgt. McEachern said.

“Information regarding his murder is scant. We don’t know how or where he was murdered or where his body is but, again, one individual has been linked to his disappearance.’’

While inquiries into those three murders continued, information was received about a fourth murder — 15-year-old Juan Morgan, in 1992, who was also connected to the group.

Very little information has been gleaned on how he was killed. Somewhat sadly, Juan Morgan was never reported as a missing person.

When detectives advised his mother in August, 1999, that they suspected her son was dead, she told them she had not reported him missing because she believed he had gone interstate and would come home one day.

The key suspect in the suspected murders was the ringleader of a group of men involved in a variety of crimes, including car theft and rebirthing, drug-dealing and importation, stolen goods property-related offences and standover tactics throughout the 1990s.

As part of the long-running investigation, detectives have seized several stolen cars, firearms, drugs and other stolen items.

The suspect has served time in prison in SA for drug offences and impeding another major investigation.

Although several associates of the group were on the radar of Australian Federal Police over suspected drug importation, the overall group went largely unnoticed by SA police during the 1990s until the cigarette robbery.

“Little was known about them, but they certainly came to our attention following the robbery,’’ Det. Sen-Sgt McEachern said.

“We believe they were active for some time prior to that.’’

While Operation Jarrah is still an active investigation, it has stalled because of the lack of information from the public and criminal community.

“What that says to me is this was a very close-knit criminal group. They have kept their mouths shut, it shows this information is held within a really tight group,’’ Det. Snr-Sgt McEachern said. “Because of these circumstances it is highly likely any breakthrough is only going to arise if one of those involved breaks ranks and speaks to us.’’

While the group is no longer involved in criminal activities together, the key suspect is still on police radar — and that of other criminals.

Several years ago, the suspect was severely bashed by members of the Finks bikie gang.

He suffered severe head injury and spent several months in rehabilitation at the Hampstead Centre. He was interviewed by detectives following that incident but, not surprisingly, provided no assistance to police.