Killer with female undies fetish loses his fourth bid for release

Notorious killer Michael Shillabeer – who murdered teenager Melissa Emmerton in 1992 – has lost his fourth bid to be released on parole.

A notorious killer with a fetish for wearing women’s underwear has had his bid for release on parole refused for the fourth time.

Michael Allen Shillabeer, who murdered teenager Melissa Emmerton in 1992, has been denied parole because he is still deemed to be a risk to the community.

The SA Parole Board decision has been welcomed by Ms Emmerton’s family, with her mother, Jenny, revealing the family was “more than pleased’’ that Shillabeer would not be released.

“We were ecstatic when we were told. We are very glad he is being kept in prison,’’ she said. “We went before the Parole Board to tell them, to show them how his actions have continued to affect us, how it never changes for us.

“We are Melissa’s voice. We will continue doing it for her if he applies again. We have to be strong for Melissa.’’

Board chairwoman Frances Nelson QC said Shillabeer’s application had been refused because “he has no insight’’ into his conduct.

Other factors had also influenced the decision.

“He maintains he just became enraged and does not know why he killed her,’’ Ms Nelson said.

SA Parole Board chief Frances Nelson, QC in her office.

Murder victim Melissa Emmerton, who was killed by Michael Allen Shillabeer in 1992.

Shillabeer’s institutional behaviour has been poor and he has been subject to disciplinary measures because of his behaviour at Yatala Labour Prison in recent years.

This has included repeated warnings over his abusive behaviour towards guards. He he was placed in a “management cell’’ in June last year after behaving aggressively towards medical staff.

Shillabeer, now 51, has made applications to be allowed to wear female underwear while incarcerated. Each request has been refused.

In 1994, he was allowed to get married in a ceremony inside Yatala, sparking outrage from Ms Emmerton’s family.

Shillabeer’s wife died in 2003. In late 2002, Shillabeer was the subject of a manhunt when he escaped from Cadell prison in the Riverland.

He first applied for release on parole in 2008 but was refused. He again applied in 2011 but this application was also refused.

Shillabeer waited another eight years before applying for release in 2019, but he withdrew that application before it was considered by the board. He then reapplied for parole in 2020, but was refused.

Melissa Emmerton was abducted from Hindley St, Adelaide on March 15, 1992 and her body was found dumped near Truro on March 30. Police forensic officers working under floodlights at scene west of Blanchetown in March 1992.

As part of his latest application, the board had three meetings with members of Ms Emmerton’s family to consider their views on Schillabeer’s release and also received submissions from them via Commissioner for Victim’s Rights Bronwyn Killmier.

Schillabeer was 21 when he murdered Ms Emmerton, 17, in March 1992. He pleaded guilty later that year and was given a life sentence with a non-parole period of 25 years.

The Supreme Court heard Shillabeer noticed Ms Emmerton at a CBD bus stop and, after she repeatedly refused to get into his car, violently assaulted her.

He then took her to his flat at Payneham South where she was killed.

A bushwalker found Ms Emmerton’s body a fortnight later near Truro, 80km northeast of Adelaide.

A week later, Shillabeer walked into the Payneham police station in the early hours of the morning and confessed to the murder. He had been persuaded to do so by his girlfriend, whom he later married while in custody.

Shillabeer said he had been using drugs and drinking heavily at the time of the murder and could not remember his “acts of violence’’ towards Ms Emmerton – which Supreme Court Justice Derek Bollen disputed.

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