Louise Bell murderer Dieter Pfennig jailed until age of 103 as non-parole period extended to 60 years
Dieter Pfennig committed two of the most notorious child murders in SA history — and now the depraved former teacher will almost certainly die in jail after his non-parole period was extended to 60 years.
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- Judge’s demand: Tell us where the bodies were hidden
- The trial: Read Sean Fewster’s compelling summary of the evidence
- Analysis: A verdict that vindicates our criminal justice system
Former teacher and twice-convicted child killer Dieter Pfennig is all but guaranteed to die in jail, having received a 35-year minimum term for the notorious cold-case abduction and murder of Louise Bell.
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court extended Pfennig’s existing non-parole period for his other crimes to a total of 60 years — meaning he must live to be 103 before he can even apply to be released.
The earliest he could seek the mercy of the parole board is New Year’s Eve in 2049.
Acting Supreme Court Justice Michael David’s sentence has now entered Pfennig, 68, into the rogues’ gallery of SA’s worst killers.
His minimum term is among the highest handed down, in keeping with double-execution killer Gary John Collie, Kapunda triple murderer Jason Downie, dismemberment killer Angelika Gavare and delusional assassin Dr Jean Eric Gassy.
In sentencing, Acting Justice David said Pfennig had abducted and murdered Louise in 1983, abducted and raped another child — who survived — in 1989 — and, just months later, abducted and murdered Michael Black, 10.
He stressed he was not punishing Pfennig for any crime other than Louise’s murder, nor was he penalising him for refusing to reveal the location of his victims’ bodies.
“The facts of this case are notorious ... many of the details, including the whereabouts of Louise’s body are still unknown,” he said.
“The shock and anxiety your offence caused in the SA community cannot be compared to the distress that must have been suffered by the parents and family of Louise Bell.
“I can only imagine that their misery over this long period of time cannot be properly expressed.”
Pfennig, 68, was last month found guilty of having abducted Louise from her Hackham West home in January 1983, and murdering her sometime later.
Acting Justice Michael David found the charge proven, beyond reasonable doubt, in part due to a cutting edge one-in-one-billion DNA match on Louise’s discarded pyjama top.
In an unprecedented move, Acting Justice David challenged Pfennig — already serving a life sentence for the 1989 murder of Michael Black — to reveal the location of his victims’ bodies.
Pfennig, however, filed an appeal against his conviction — and an application for more taxpayer funding to run it — insisting the DNA evidence was unreliable.
On Monday, the court was told Louise’s family would not be giving victim impact statements.
Had he not been convicted, Pfennig would already be eligible for release on parole, having completed his 25-year non-parole period for Michael’s murder 12 months ago.
That made Pfennig’s sentencing more complicated, for the court, than dealing with other criminals.
Because he had been convicted of murder, Pfennig had to serve an automatic life sentence.
However, his existing life sentence for Michael Black’s murder meant Acting Justice David’s penalty options were limited to extending his existing non-parole period.
On Tuesday, prosecutors tendered just one victim impact statement — from Pfennig’s daughter, Petra — and asked it not be read aloud in court.
Sandi McDonald SC said Pfennig had been arrested for Louise’s murder before he had been released from custody, meaning his imprisonment should simply continue.
“We submit Your Honour should extend the non-parole period to such an extent that this man has no hope of life outside custody,” she said.
“This man is entitled to no mercy ... the non-parole period should make it clear, to him and the community, that this man has no expectation of life outside of custody.”
Grant Algie QC, for Pfennig, said he had discussed Acting Justice David’s challenge with his client.
“I can advise Your Honour that we are instructed by Mr Pfennig that he cannot tell Your Honour where the body (of Louise) is,” he said.
“He maintains he is not guilty of this offence and has instructed us to advise Your Honour that, if he knew, he would tell Your Honour.”
He told the court that, in three weeks’ time, Pfennig will have spent 27 years behind bars — having been jailed in December 1989 — and will turn 69 in February.
“Even if Your Honour was to be persuaded to take the most merciful approach open to you, (that would be) imposing the minimum non-period of 20 years,” he said.
“Pfennig would be eligible to apply for release on parole when he would be almost 87 years old — if he lives that long.
“We urge Your Honour to impose the minimum. It might be that, at 87 years, circumstances have fundamentally changed so that the authorities might see it appropriate to grant parole, for health reasons or otherwise.”
Ms McDonald said the minimum term would be “completely and entirely inappropriate” for a crime such as Louise’s murder.
She said Major Crime detectives had twice approached Pfennig in prison since his conviction and both times he had declined to assist inquiries.
Acting Justice David admitted he was “tempted” to consent to defence counsels’ plea for mercy, as adding years on to an existing life sentence could be seen, by some, as “academic”.
However, he said his duty was to bring the full force of the law to bear against evil.
“This was a most evil crime and its evil is not ameliorated in any way by the passage of time,” he said.
The Advertiser understands Pfennig will instruct his counsel to file an appeal against the sentence.
THREE DECADES OF DESPAIR
January 4, 1983: Louise Bell, 10, was put to bed in her room at the Bell family’s home on Meadow Way, Hackham West.
January 5, 1983: Louise was discovered missing. The fly screen on the window of the room Louise shared with her sister, 8, had been tampered with. Police began a missing persons investigation with an enormous search and doorknock of Hackham West and surrounding areas. Louise was never found.
January 17, 1983: The offender made a phone call to another Hackham West resident, asking about Louise and for the resident to contact the media for him.
February 28, 1983: Louise’s pyjama top was located on the front lawn of the resident’s home.
1984: Following a police investigation, Raymond John Geesing was charged with Louise’s murder. His trial began in November 1984 and resulted in a guilty verdict.
1985: The Court of Criminal Appeal overturns Geesing’s conviction and he goes free.
January 1989: Teacher Dieter Pfennig abducted and murdered Michael Black, 10, but evaded detection by police.
December 1989: Pfennig was arrested for the abduction and sexual assault of another boy, and subsequently charged with his crimes against Michael. This made him a suspect in Louise’s murder.
1991: Police searched and excavated the backyard of Pfennig’s home on Holly Rise, Hackham West. Nothing of interest was found.
1992: Pfennig is jailed for 12 years, with a 10-year non-parole period, for the abduction and sexual assault, extended by 28 years to 38 years for Michael’s murder.
1994: Under Truth in Sentencing legislation, Pfennig’s 38-year non-parole period was reduced to 25 years.
1994 — 2009: Investigations into the murder of Louise continued.
2009: A review of the available evidence began. Further avenues for investigation were identified.
2011: The Major Crime squad dedicated a team to the investigation to conduct a full review of all evidence and exhibits. All witnesses were reinterviewed.
March 2012: Forensic samples were sent to the Netherlands Forensic Institute for analysis. This analysis resulted in a reportable DNA match between DNA recovered from Louise’s pyjama top and a sample taken from Pfennig.
July 2012: Detectives again searched the backyard of Pfennig’s former Holly Rise home, this time using ground-penetrating radar.
November 19, 2013: Pfennig was arrested and charged with Louise’s murder.
November 10, 2016: Pfennig was found guilty of the abduction and murder of Louise.
Today: Was handed a 35 year sentence for the Lousie’s murder. The Supreme Court extended Pfennig’s existing non-parole period for his other crimes to a total of 60 years meaning he must live to be 103 before he can even apply to be released.
THE WORST OF THE WORST
John Justin Bunting and Robert Joe Wagner
The “bodies in the barrels” serial killers who were, in 2003, jailed for life without parole — and the sentencing judge warned they should never be released.
Murdered Maya Jakic and Megumi Suzuki, raped a third woman and sexually assaulted a fourth during an escalating series of crimes between 1999 and 2001. Jailed indefinitely, in 2004, as an uncontrollable sexual predator.
Barry Michael Fyfe
Known as “the Birdman of Yatala”, Fyfe was given a 39-year non-parole period for multiple crimes including fatally stabbing a convicted rapist in the prison kitchen.
Bevan Spencer von Einem
Murdered Richard Kelvin in July 1983 and was, a year later, jailed for life with a 24-year non-parole period. That term was increased on appeal, in 1985, to a then-record 36 years.
Dieter Pfennig
Abducted and murdered Louise Bell in January 1983. Jailed for life with a 35-year non-parole period. His total minimum time in custody, including penalties for his other crimes, was extended to 60 years backdated to 1989.
James William Miller
Convicted of six of the seven Truro murders in 1980. Jailed for life with a 35-year non-parole period. Died, in prison, of cancer in 2008.
Jason Alexander Downie
Murdered Kapunda family Andrew, Rose and Chantelle Rowe in November 2010 and was jailed, in 2012, for life with a 35-year non-parole period. His visa will be cancelled upon his parole and he will be deported to his native Scotland.
Murdered his wife, Carolyn, in a conspiracy with his lover, Michelle Burgess, and her other lover, David Edgar Key, in 2001. Jailed, in 2004, for life with a 35-year non-parole period.
Murdered Jasinta-Leigh Fullerton and Rebecca Wild in 2012 and was jailed, in 2013, for life with a 33-year non-parole period.
Angelika Gavare
Ambushed, murdered and dismembered pensioner Vonne McGlynn in 2008 to steal her home and possessions. Jailed, in 2011, for life with a 32-year non-parole period.
Gerald Preston
Hells Angels hitman who, in 1998, fulfilled a $10,000 contract to murder Lonsdale mechanic Les Knowles and another man, Timothy Richards. Jailed for life with a 32-year non-parole period. His visa will be cancelled upon his parole and he will be deported to his native Scotland.
Gary John Collie
Murdered Leila “Lee” Hoppo and John Power in cold blood, execution-style, over drugs at Parafield Gardens in 2002. Jailed for life, with a 30-year non-parole period, in 2004.
Jean Eric Gassy
Former psychiatrist who trained himself to become an assassin in order to kill those “conspiring” against him. Murdered SA mental health director Margaret Tobin in 2002 and was jailed, in 2009, for life with a 30-year non-parole period.
Murdered Carolyn Matthews — wife of one of her lovers, Kevin Matthews — with the help of another lover, David Edgar Key, in 2001. Jailed, in 2004, for life with a 30-year non-parole period.
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