Dear Rachelle investigation: Many jobs of key murder suspect

The main person of interest in Rachelle Childs’ murder – has worn a plethora of professional hats, or at least professed to have donned them. Listen to the latest podcast.

From a detective and an armed security guard to a DJ, car salesman, and a psychiatrist.

Kevin Steven Correll – the main person of interest in Rachelle Childs’ murder – has worn a plethora of employment hats, or at least professed to have donned them.

What is clear is he was employed as a car salesman for more than a decade, during which time he was Rachelle’s boss at Camden Holden, south west of Sydney.

He was one of the last people to see her alive before her body was found alight in Gerroa, NSW, in 2001.

Murdered Bargo woman Rachelle Childs’ burning body was found at Gerroa on June 8, 2001.

LISTEN TO THE LATEST DEAR RACHELLE PODCAST EPISODES BELOW:

But it can now be revealed that Mr Correll, who denied any involvement in Rachelle’s death and was never charged, has been making wild claims about his career for the best part of two decades. Some are true, others highly unlikely.

FICTION

Detective: Mr Correll told Rachelle that he used to be a detective, which her sister Kristy described as “bullshit”.

To become a detective, Mr Correll needed to have trained as a police officer and waited about seven years before being promoted to detective. There is no evidence to suggest he did either of these things.

Psychiatrist/psychologist: Mr Correll told his ex-girlfriend, known as Evelyn, that he was either a psychiatrist or a psychiatrist. “At one barbecue in particular, I had my sister there, and he offered to write her a script for her medication for being a little bit depressed or upset or whatever,” she recalled.

In order to become a psychiatrist, Mr Correll would have undergone a decade of training to get a medical degree, and then to complete hospital training, and eventually he would have needed to specialise in psychiatry. The training process alone would have taken about 12 years.

Person of interest in the murder of Rachelle Childs, Kevin Steven Correll. Picture: Julian Andrews

Armed security guard: Mr Correll’s ex-girlfriend, known as Alice, was under the impression he was an armed security guard. Alice’s current partner, Colin, said: “I think at some stage he claimed that he was a security worker and was armed with a firearm and things like that. It was like he was, he was sort of fixated on the darker side of life.”

Security guards in NSW were armed in the 1990s and early 2000s, when Mr Correll was dating Alice. Records indicate he worked in car sales at that time.

Garage door salesman: Mr Correll told the organisers of a local singles group in the mid-2000s that he sold garage doors, even offering to help someone out with a new door. Records indicate he was selling used cars at that time.

Private investigator: Mr Correll told someone else at the same singles group that he worked as a private investigator. That person, who didn’t want to be identified, was later told by police there were no records suggesting he was a private investigator.

Charity worker: He told the same singles club member that he worked with trainees at the Salvation Army and was getting an award for his good work. Mr Correll once drew a raffle for the Smith Family.

LISTEN TO EARLIER EPISODES OF THE PODCAST BELOW:

FACT

Labourer: Mr Correll worked as a labourer for a pool company in 1980.

DJ: One woman, who can’t be identified for legal reasons, recalled Mr Correll working as a DJ at various nightclubs around south-west Sydney.

Car salesman: Mr Correll worked at a number of businesses as a car salesman between about 1981 and 2003.

RSA marshal: In March, Mr Correll was working as an RSA marshal for a security company. He was based at The Entrance Leagues Club, on the NSW central coast.

For more information about our investigation, visit dearachelle.com.au.

If you have any tips or confidential information, please contact investigative journalist Ashlea Hansen at [e-mail].

You can also join our Dear Rachelle podcast Facebook group.