Karlie and Khandalyce murders: Hazel Passmore says she won’t be charged with killings
THE Adelaide woman questioned over the murders of Karlie Pearce-Stevenson and daughter Khandalyce has declared that she will face no charges over the killings.
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THE Adelaide woman questioned over the murders of Karlie Pearce-Stevenson and daughter Khandalyce has declared that she will face no charges over the killings.
Just hours after her former partner, Daniel Holdom, 41, was charged with the murder of the toddler in New South Wales, Hazel Passmore told The Advertiser she would face “no charges in relation to murder’’.
Ms Passmore has been interviewed by police at length a number of times since October, when Holdom was arrested in NSW and charged with Ms Pearce-Stevenson’s murder near the Belanglo State Forest.
Police will allege Holdom killed Ms Pearce-Stevenson, 20, sometime around December 15 in 2008 before driving to Canberra with her daughter.
It’s then alleged Holdom killed Khandalyce near the NSW town of Wallaroo while on the way to South Australia.
Police believe the toddler died sometime between 2.17am on December 19 and 12.52am on December 20. Police have not said how or exactly where she died.
Witnesses claim they saw Khandalyce with a man several days after Holdom allegedly killed her mother.
Khandalyce’s skeletal remains were found in July this year, dumped in a suitcase alongside the Karoonda Highway, near the small town of Wynarka, five years later and more than 1000km from where her mother’s remains were found in August 2010.
A lengthy DNA process and information from the public led detectives in South Australia and New South Wales to identity the victims, link the two murders and charge Holdom.
Ms Passmore, 33, speaking at her Davoren Park home on Tuesday, said she was “very relieved” Holdom had now been charged with both murders and that she hoped the ordeal was over for her.
Wheelchair-bound Ms Passmore is believed to be a person of interest involving the fraud of Ms Pearce-Stevenson’s bank account, from which almost $100,000 was accessed after her death.
No charges have been laid against her.
When asked if she thought her involvement in the investigation was over, Ms Passmore replied: “I hope so.’’
When asked if she would face any charges, she said that “I don’t know ... I don’t think so. No charges in relation to murder, anyway.’’
Holdom was formally charged in Parramatta Local Court in NSW on Tuesday afternoon, but he refused to appear in person.
No application was made for bail and he will next appear in Central Local Court in January.
NSW Homicide chief Detective Mick Willing said both mother and daughter had suffered “violent deaths”. He would not elaborate, but said that “all the details will come out in due course”.
In South Australia, Detective Superintendent Des Bray said the charging of Holdom over Khandalyce’s murder had capped a lengthy investigation.
Supt Bray said police believed Holdom transported Khandalyce’s body to South Australia but would not say if they believed he had been helped.
He said that Holdom had long been a suspect in Khandalyce’s murder.
“We were fortunate in this case that the suspect was already in custody and obviously didn’t pose a risk to community safety at that moment,” Supt Bray said.
“That enabled us the opportunity to conduct a very thorough and comprehensive investigation.
“That’s why we didn’t have to rush to charge him with Khandalyce’s murder.”
Police offered little comment on how the fraud aspect of the investigation was progressing.
“At this stage (Holdom's) the only person who has been charged with her murder,” Supt Bray said. “There’s other aspects of the investigation that will continue.’’
In a statement on behalf of the family, Victims’ Rights Commissioner Micheal O’Connell said an arrest over Khandalyce’s murder was welcome news.
“It is welcome because those who love Khandalyce want her killer called to account for such a despicable crime,” he said.
“It is also welcome because, until now, Khandalyce’s grandfather has worried that somewhere there was a child killer or child killers at large, so other children might not be safe.
“Khandalyce’s grandfather is aware of and grateful for the dedication and commitment shown by the police in investigating the two murders.
“He especially thanks the police officers who have kept him informed and provided him with support throughout.
“Homicide is a most heinous crime. Karlie’s and Khandalyce’s family and friends have had their lives suddenly and horribly disrupted.
“The initial shock and disbelief have triggered a myriad of emotions but they have also had to contend with the demands of the police investigation and now the criminal justice as well as the media attention and a sense of other chaos surrounding the two murders.
“Nothing has prepared these people for their suffering. For them, life will never be the same.”
Ms Pearce-Stevenson and Khandalyce were buried together in a white coffin at an Alice Springs cemetery last weekend, next to Ms Pearce-Stevenson’s mother, Colleen Povey, who died in 2012.