Convicted murderer Bevan Spencer von Einem’s near to death from lung cancer
The illness that’s left child murderer Bevan Spencer von Einem on death’s door has been revealed as the state government vows to do “everything they can” to get a deathbed confession out him.
Notorious child murderer Bevan Spencer von Einem has been rushed to the Yatala infirmary via ambulance and is close to death.
The notorious killer, now 79, was transported via a Royal Flying Doctor Service ambulance from Port Augusta Prison, where he has been held since 2007, to Yatala on Monday, according to a Corrections source.
The Advertiser understands von Einem – who was convicted of the 1983 murder of 15-year-old Adelaide teenager Richard Kelvin – has lung cancer and there’s been no application for voluntary euthanasia because he is so sick.
Attorney-General Kyam Maher showed no sympathy for von Einem on Tuesday.
“Every day that he’s not on the planet, I think is a good day for society,” Mr Maher said.
“South Australians rightly have been for many, many years horrified at what that person has done.
“I don’t think there’s a single person who will have any remorse at his death.”
Mr Maher said authorities would be doing “everything they possibly could” to extract any new information from von Einem prior to his death.
“Our greatest sympathies and our hearts go out to the families of victims in this case and any families of potential victims that people haven’t been held to account for,” he said.
“Those events have been etched, I think, in the psyche of South Australia and it must be an extremely difficult time (for the families of victims).”
Mr Maher said if von Einem’s health was in a severe state, it was highly unlikely he would be able to access voluntary euthanasia.
Richard Kelvin, the son of local television and radio personality Rob Kelvin, in 1984, was abducted, held captive for five weeks and killed, with his body later discovered in the Adelaide foothills.
Investigators are convinced that more than one person was involved in Richard’s murder. Police also believe his killing is associated with other high-profile murders commonly referred to as the ‘Family Murders’, referring to five deaths, speculated to have been committed by The Family.
This group was believed to be involved in the kidnapping and sexual abuse of a number of teenage boys as well as the torture and murder of five young men aged between 14 and 25 during the 1970s and 1980s in Adelaide.
Many believe the true extent of The Family crimes remain hidden, with the enduring mystery and claims of a cover-up continuing to haunt Adelaide.
Von Einem is serving life imprisonment for the murder of Richard Kelvin.
Families of the victims spoke to 7NEWS saying they were desperately hoping Major Crime detectives would be able to interview the convicted killer at the Yatala infirmary before time ran out.
Von Einem has never co-operated with police previously but this could be the last chance to elicit a confession before he dies.
The Department for Correctional Services and Correctional Services Minister Rhiannon Pearce declined to comment.
Von Einem was in G Block at Yatala prison for decades but transferred to Port Augusta Prison in 2007.
Richard Kelvin was abducted from a laneway off Ward Street, North Adelaide, on June 5 in 1983.
His body was found at Kersbrook on July 24, 1983.
Journalist and author Debi Marshall visited von Einem in Port Augusta Prison twice about six years ago when he denied kidnapping, torturing or murdering anybody, including Richard Kelvin.
However, during the prison visit von Einem inadvertently admitted seeing the boy wearing a distinctive dog collar, a key issue in his trial, and also made lurid admissions of a sexual nature about the boy, too distressing to publish.
Police had questioned von Einem previously and he denied seeing the collar, which Richard had worn as a joke but removed prior to being kidnapped.
During the visits, the murderer revealed he had Type 2 diabetes and was being moved to an aged care jail ward where he would be getting better access to medicines.
In 2009, the SA government declared von Einem as a dangerous offender, the same day he was sentenced to three months jail for possessing child pornography in his jail cell.
