Sons’ search for answers in bookshop murder as inquest begins

A woman was brutally stabbed 68 times behind a Melbourne bookshop, and investigators say there are six men who are persons of interest.

Forty-one years after a mother was found brutally stabbed 68 times behind a bookshop, her sons are pushing for an alleged child sex abuser priest to be investigated.

But the first day of a coronial inquest into Maria James’s murder has focused on another suspect, a man who was later convicted of the stabbing death of his ex-girlfriend.

First witness David Ranson, forensic pathologist with the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine, was asked about similarities between the autopsy of Mrs James and that of Vicki Cleary, who was killed by her ex Peter Keogh on August 26, 1987.

Maria James was stabbed 68 times behind her Thornbury bookshop in 1980. Picture: Coroners Court via NCA NewsWire

Maria James lived in a residence behind the Thornbury book exchange she ran at 736 High Street, Thornbury. Picture: Coroners Court via NCA NewsWire

He was convicted of manslaughter and served less than four years for fatally stabbing Ms Clearly, 25, after she left the abusive relationship.

Keogh, who has since died, is a suspect in Mrs James murder seven years’ earlier on June 17, 1980.

Counsel assisting the court Sharon Lacey said Keogh lived in the area at the time of Mrs James’s murder and was “nominated as a possible suspect in 1980 and 1982 by people who knew him”.

He denied any involvement.

Professor Ranson said Ms Cleary’s murder did not have the “unusual clustering pattern” of injuries seen from the autopsy of Mrs James, and there were four injuries compared to 68 in the tragic case of Mrs James.

But he agreed that a blade of at least 1o centimetres was used in both murders.

A single cup of tea was found in Maria James’s kitchen sink when her body was discovered. Picture: Coroners Court via NCA NewsWire

The kitchen of the home behind her Thornbury bookshop appeared undisturbed, in contrast to the tragic bloodstained scene in her bedroom where her body was found. Picture: Coroners Court via NCA NewsWire

Mrs James’s sons, who have never given up their search for answers, drew attention to another suspect outside court on Monday — local assistant priest Father Anthony Bongiorno, who has also since died.

Mrs James’ eldest son Mark James requested an inquest be reopened after her youngest son Adam James revealed bombshell new evidence in 2013, the court heard.

Adam James, who has cerebral palsy and Tourette’s Syndrome, told his mother he was sexually abused by local priest Father Anthony Bongiorno the weekend before her death, he said.

Outside court on Monday, Mark James said they hoped they would “finally get an answer”.

Mark and Adam James have never given up on finding out what happened to their beloved mother Maria James on June 17, 1980. They spoke outside court on Monday with their lawyer, Naty Guerrero-Diaz. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Crosling

Maria James’s son Mark James outside the Coroners Court of Victoria tells of his hope for answers 40 years after his mother’s murder. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Crosling

“I want the priest’s involvement to be properly explored,” he said.

“It feels like this is the climax where we have a chance of finally, possibly, getting an answer as to who killed our mum.”

Mark James said many questions surrounding his mum’s death remained unanswered, “including whether the priests who assaulted my brother had anything to do with it”.

The court heard there are six persons of interest in the case: Peter Keogh; Father Bongiorno; another local priest Thomas O‘Keefe; Mrs James’ lover Peco Macevski, Telecom employee Lyle Perkins; and a man who argued with her on the morning of the murder, Mario Falcucci.

The inquest is slated to run for three weeks.

Originally published as Sons’ search for answers in bookshop murder as inquest begins