Easey St murders brief considered by Italian authorities

A decision on whether suspect Perry Kouroumblis will be extradited from Italy over the double murder in Easey St, Collingwood, could be made as early as next week.

Homicide squad detectives are on standby to travel to Rome after a brief of evidence in the 1977 Easey St murders was sent to Italian authorities.

The Herald Sun has been told a decision on whether suspect Perry Kouroumblis will be extradited over the murders of Suzanne Armstrong, 27, and Susan Bartlett, 28, could be made as early as next week.

The complex and detailed brief was sent to federal Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus before being conveyed to Rome well ahead of the 45-day deadline, which started at the time of Mr Kouroumblis’ airport arrest two months ago.

The file had to be forwarded despite Mr Kouroumblis signalling he is prepared to be extradited.

Perry Kouroumblis could be extradited over the Easey Street murders. Picture: Facebook

Mr Kouroumblis was arrested in Rome two months ago. Picture: Supplied

There was speculation in the days after the arrest of Mr Kouroumblis that he could be back in Melbourne by late October.

Police had been well advanced in their brief preparation even before his arrest, carried out as he jetted into Rome on September 19 from Greece, where he had been living since 2017.

Extraditing from that country would have been far more challenging because Mr Kouroumblis is a dual Greek-Australian citizen.

Homicide squad investigators are believed to be ready to travel to Rome at short notice and Mr Kouroumblis’ stated intention to return without a fight should expedite any transfer.

A previous brief over what happened to Ms Armstrong and Ms Bartlett at their Collingwood home was prepared for an inquest, which was held months after the attacks.

Suzanne Armstrong with son Gregory. Suzanne was murdered in Easey Street. Picture: Supplied

Murder victim Susan Bartlett was 28 when she was killed.

This version will be much more detailed and will include DNA evidence and other information previously unavailable to investigators.

Mr Kouroumblis was 17 when Ms Bartlett and Ms Armstrong were murdered.

He was found with a knife in the boot of his car in the days after the killings and told police he had found it on railway tracks not far from the scene.

Mr Kouroumblis left Australia in 2017 after being asked to provide a DNA sample to cold case homicide investigators looking into the notorious crime.

Police at the scene in Easey Street in 1977. Picture: ABC News

He flew to Rome for a holiday two months ago and was arrested on arrival by police.

The 65-year-old has been held at the Regina Coeli prison since then, a jail regarded as the city’s toughest.

His family have since denied Mr Kouroumblis left Australia to flee the police investigation.

Mr Kouroumblis has always maintained he is innocent.

Originally published as Easey St murders brief considered by Italian authorities