SA mother, Jenny Emmerton makes emotional plea to keep her daughter’s killer Michael Shillabeer to stay in jail

Notorious killer Michael Shillabeer abducted and murdered teenager Melissa Emmerton in 1992; now he makes another freedom bid.

The mother of Melissa Emmerton has made an emotional plea for her daughter’s abductor and killer – Michael Shillabeer – to stay behind bars following his latest freedom bid.

In 1992, Shillabeer abducted 17-year-old Melissa Emmerton from a bus stop on Hindley Street and dumped her body near Truro only for a bushwalker to discover it two weeks later.

Melissa Emmerton who was abducted from Hindley Street, Adelaide on 15 Mar 1992 and whose body was found 30 Mar 1992 dumped near Truro. Police forensic officers working under floodlights at scene west of Blanchetown 30 Mar 1992.

Today, mother Jenny Emmerton fears the killer could walk the streets as a free man as he surpassed his non-parole period of 25 years.

“We know he can get out. The life sentence was ours. We know that one of these days it’s going to happen,” Ms Emmerton told 7NEWS.

“I honestly hope he never gets out.

“There’s a huge hole in my heart, there’s always something missing when it’s Mother’s Day or a birthday.”

The Advertiser has previously reported on Shillabeer’s unsuccessful bids for parole in 2008, 2011 and in 2020 as the SA Parole Board deemed him to be a risk to the community.

SA murderer Michael Shillabeer 07 Apr 1992. /Murder/SA/Emmerton

SA murder victim Melissa Colleen Emmerton. Born 24 May 1974 died 15 Mar 1992. (Pic: supplied by Victims of Crime) /Murder/SA/Emmerton

Additionally, Shillabeer’s institutional behaviour has been poor and he has been subject to disciplinary measures because of his actions at Yatala Labour Prison.

This has included repeated warnings over his abusive behaviour towards guards.

He was placed in a “management cell’’ in June 2021 after behaving aggressively towards medical staff.

However, his most shocking wrongdoing in jail was in late 2002 when he was the subject of a manhunt after escaping from Cadell prison in the Riverland.

Shillabeer has made applications to be allowed to wear female underwear while incarcerated.

Each request has been refused.

Although, he was granted permission to marry his girlfriend; she was the person who had persuaded Shillabeer to turn himself in to police.

At the time of his murder, Shillabeer said he had been using drugs and drinking heavily and could not remember his “acts of violence’’ towards Ms Emmerton.

The Supreme Court Justice Derek Bollen disputed those claims and gave him a life-sentence.

“I believe you know what you did although you may have unconsciously tried to erase it from your memory,’’ he told Shillabeer when sentencing him.