Notorious serial murderer Rodney Cameron, dubbed ‘Lonely Hearts Killer’, dies in Sydney hospital

A serial killer who committed at least four murders, including three within a few weeks in 1974, has died in a Sydney hospital.

Serial killer Rodney Francis Cameron has died in a Sydney hospital while serving a life sentence.

A serial murderer known as the “Lonely Hearts Killer” after meeting a woman in a matchmaking competition and luring her to her death has died in a Sydney hospital

Rodney Francis Cameron – who was also known as Rodney Mallard – died in Prince of Wales Hospital about 11.30pm on Saturday.

The 72-year-old had been jailed for life for the June 1990 murder of Maria Goellner, 44, who he bashed and strangled in a room at the Sky Rider Motor Inn at Katoomba in the Blue Mountains.

Cameron had met Ms Goellner through a Melbourne radio station matchmaking competition.

Just months earlier he had been released from prison for two other murders which occurred within weeks of each other in 1974.

The first was the rape and murder of Florence Edith Jackson, 49, in January 1974, also in Katoomba.

Cameron’s murder victim Maria Goellner, who he killed in January 1990 at Katoomba.

While serving a life sentence, Cameron later confessed to the murder of war widow Sarah McKenzie at her Milsons Point home back in 1974.

At the time trainee nurse Cameron had reportedly recently lost his job and so sought help from his colleague Ms Jackson, only to brutally murder her.

He then fled NSW and had made it across the border into Victoria when an unsuspecting passer-by, Francesco Ciliberto, 19, picked up the hitchhiker in the seaside town of Mallacoota in the state’s East Gippsland region.

When Cameron was caught he was initially jailed for the remainder of his natural life, but that decision was later overturned on appeal.

Cameron, in a 1974 copy photo, later became known as the "Lonely Hearts Killer".

He died at Prince of Wales Hospital on Saturday night aged 72.

As a result he served just nine years behind bars for Ms Jackson’s murder before being extradited to Victoria and jailed for seven years for the murder of Ciliberto.

Released from prison in November 1989, less than seven months later Cameron murdered Ms Goellner.

But while serving his life sentence for Ms Goellner’s murder behind bars at Lithgow maximum security prison, Cameron asked for a chat with police.

During that meeting Cameron confessed to a third murder in 1974 – the slaying of elderly war widow Sarah McKenzie at Milsons Point.

Mrs McKenzie had been found dead inside her home suffering from more than 30 stab wounds.

Cameron had initially been charged with Mrs McKenzie’s death, but just days before he was due to go to trial the matter was withdrawn.

Despite the confession Cameron was never officially convicted of Mrs McKenzie’s murder.

It is understood Cameron had been suffering from cancer in recent years and had been in palliative care for some time.

Corrective Services NSW have been contacted for comment.

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