Kevin James Pettiford jailed for 39 years in NSW Supreme Court after killing two homeless men, slashing Cessnock inmate’s throat
A vagrant who called himself the “Hand of Death” and said he “loved killing” took the lives of two rough sleepers, slashed the throat of a Cessnock inmate – and has now been jailed for almost four decades. Here’s the latest.
Regional News
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A man who dubbed himself the “Hand of Death” brutally slayed two rough sleepers, cut the throat of an inmate and has now been jailed for almost 40 years.
Kevin James Pettiford, 38, sat unrestrained in the dock with his head hanging low before Justice Hament Dhanji in the Supreme Court in Sydney on Wednesday.
Justice Dhanji told the court it was accepted Pettiford had bipolar affective disorder at the time of offending, but it was “not enough” to reduce charges to manslaughter.
He said Pettiford’s crimes were “senseless” and he “intended to kill”.
Pettiford – who told police he intended to become Australia’s most prolific serial killer – has been sentenced to 39 years’ jail with a 26-year non-parole period.
He was found guilty in December 2023 of murdering Byron Bay rough sleeper Andrew ‘Andy’ Whyte Murray, 56, at Jack Evans Boat Harbour, Tweed Heads on November 21, 2019.
Pettiford was also found guilty of the attempted murder of Cessnock inmate Nathan Mellows on December 28, 2019.
It was accepted during the trial Pettiford also killed homeless man David Collin, 53, on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland in 2019 and slashed a prison officer’s arm in 2020.
He used a blade concealed in his groin to attack the officer.
Pettiford returned to the park after he spotted Mr Murray sleeping earlier in the evening.
Mr Murray was asleep in a windbreak adjacent to a walkway running along the harbourside.
Pettiford removed his thongs to avoid making noise as he approached with the intent to kill.
He took rocks from the seawall and struck Mr Murray resulting in multiple lacerations, a skull fracture and other horrendous and fatal injuries, the court heard.
Pettiford threw the rocks into the water, went to a nearby amenities block, showered blood off and changed clothes. He dumped possessions and kept to the coastline to avoid detection.
Police arrested Pettiford on November 26, 2019 and during interviews he admitted to Mr Murray’s murder.
He also admitted to sending a cryptic letter to police which he signed “the Hand of Death”.
“I just can’t lie, I did it. It was me,” he told officers.
The court heard Pettiford showed no remorse.
“Mr Murray was entirely defenceless,” Judge Dhanji said.
“The offender acted on a warped, utterly abhorrent view that Mr Murray’s life was less valuable due to his circumstances.”
Judge Dhanji said Pettiford demonstrated a complete lack of humanity.
He said the ongoing pain of Mr Murray’s family showed the harm done.
Regarding Mr Mellows, the court heard Pettiford snuck up behind the prisoner and slashed the right side of his throat to try to fatally severe his carotid artery.
Pettiford did not know Mr Mellows.
Mr Mellows bolted from Pettiford, screaming as he nursed a 7cm wound which required a dozen stitches to close.
Judge Dhanji said Mr Mellows was entitled to be safe in custody.
Pettiford told prison staff he tried to kill Mr Mellows because “no one would miss him”.
The killer wrote “carotid 12 seconds, subclavian three seconds” in a board on his cell – referencing the time someone could take to bleed to death if the arteries were severed.
He postponed attacking Mr Mellows due to a movie and cricket being aired on television, the court heard.
Describing himself as “calculated and controlled evil”, Pettiford said he “loved killing”.
For attempted murder of Nathan Mellows, Judge Dhanji convicted and sentenced Pettiford to 14 years and three months with a non-parole period of 10 years and eight months.
For the murder of Andrew Murray, Pettiford was sentenced to 33 years and three months with a non-parole period of 20 years and three months.
The earliest date Pettiford will be eligible to be released on parole is November 25, 2045.
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