Murder faked as suicide: How the slaying of Robert Atkins led police to uncover a web of brutality

Trevor King’s body was found floating in West Lakes. It looked like a suicide – but the truth was much more sinister.

Methamphetamine addict Trevor King had his first brutal encounter with a group of drug dealers terrorising their southern suburbs customers almost a year before he was murdered.

In February 2019 he owed his dealer $1000 for methamphetamine he had purchased on credit. When he didn’t pay as requested, he was abducted and, over a six-hour period, subjected to horrific torture.

He was beaten, his hands, head and back burnt with a blow torch, and had flammable liquid poured over him and was set alight. In a final sadistic act, his hands were smashed with a bat.

Major Crime Investigation Branch officer-in-charge Detective Superintendent Des Bray said Mr King was fortunate to survive his encounter with members of the group.

“That was over a $1000 debt which escalated to $10,000 because it was late,’’ he said.

“It ultimately became $50,000 because he disrespected them by not paying it. Somebody came up with some cash to put towards his debt and he was released on the promise he would organise the rest of the cash.’’

Murder victims Robert Atkins, Trevor King and Jeff Mundy.

After being released Mr King was admitted to Royal Adelaide Hospital for treatment to his wounds and police were alerted. He provided an extensive statement and four people were charged with a variety of offences including abduction and remanded in custody for several months.

However, detectives believe that sometime in early 2019, Mr King was pressured to withdraw his police statement and fled to Queensland before returning to Adelaide in September 2019. The charges against the four were subsequently dropped. Three months later Mr King was dead.

“That case is now the subject of a cold case review using the same methodology as we use in Operation Persist for our cold case homicides,’’ Supt Bray said.

“We are confident we will achieve a result in that.’’

He stressed that while the February 2019 incident was being reviewed, the four individuals charged then may not be those ultimately responsible for his murder.

Mr King’s body was found in West Lakes in January 2020 and was initially treated as a suicide. A post mortem at the time determined his death was the result of a drug overdose.

However, in evidence unearthed during the Atkins investigation, detectives received information Mr King’s suicide was staged and he was given a hotshot of an undisclosed drug before being thrown into the water.

Detective Superintendent Des Bray shows where Trevor King’s body was located, off the Bower Rd bridge at West Lakes. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Emma Brasier

His mobile phone data showed he had been in this area before his death.

“His belongings were placed neatly by the water’s edge, it was staged to make it look like he had taken an overdose and then entered the water as if to suicide,’’ Supt Bray said.

“The original investigators did not do anything wrong with all of the information they had to hand, but now knowing what we know it appears to us it was staged.

“I think we have only had four staged murders over the past decade.’’

Task Force Southern leader Detective Senior Sergeant Justin Thompson said while Mr King’s body had been recovered, the search for the remains of both Robert Atkins and Jeff Mundy would continue in coming months.

And while detectives had no intelligence on where Mr Mundy’s remains were, they were confident he is not buried with Atkins, who is believed to have been disposed of within a 30sq/km area in the Mid North of the state. Detectives have some intelligence suggesting Mr Mundy’s body may have been disposed of somewhere on the Fleurieu Peninsula.

“Task force detectives have visited Port Pirie and Orroroo on several occasions scoping out and attempting to refine possible search areas,’’ Snr-Sgt Thompson said.

“In October detectives spent several days in the area south-east of Orroroo engaging with the local community and visiting areas of interest.

“Even though we have narrowed the search area down, it is a large area of about 30sq/km.’’

Detectives believe Mr Atkins, who was also killed by the group over drug debts, was initially held at Christie Downs and tortured before being taken to two other addresses and brutalised. He was then taken to a northern suburbs address where he was also held. He was killed in the Mid North.

Over the seven days he was held, he was forced to commit various frauds while being supervised by his abductors. The day before his death they occurred at JB Hi-Fi and Harvey Norman to obtain tablets and phones, at BWS for alcohol and at a BankSA outlet to obtain $1000 cash.

CCTV images of Robert Atkins (in blue) at BankSA, standing alongside one of the men who were forcing him to commit fraud the day before his death. Picture: Dean Martin

“It is our belief that because he had the debt, he thought that if he paid it, if he just did what they said and paid it, he would be released,’’ Snr-Sgt Thompson said.

“That is why he didn’t seek to run away, he probably thought if he did that it would be worst for him.

“That is why when you see him with the offender in the photograph, people might think ‘why didn’t he scream for help’.

“He was probably thinking ‘if I commit these frauds it is not a big deal’ and co-operated. It was easier to control Robert after he had been held for a week. His knowledge of what they had already done to him and others has put fear into him to do what he is told.

“He would have known of the violence involved and completely aware of what they are capable of.’’

Sadly, detectives had no idea where Mr Mundy’s remains may be. He was last seen getting off a bus in Alexander Ave at Sellicks Beach at 6.30pm on December 19 2020.

Several hours earlier he was seen walking topless along Griffith Dve opposite the Seaford interchange.

“People may remember a random bloke walking the streets with no shirt on carrying a backpack. We don’t know if he was going somewhere to settle a drug debt or if someone who has been looking for him has randomly picked him up,’’ Snr-Sgt Thompson said.

“He has just vanished.’’