Man fronts court charged with murder of Raymond Keam

Ray Keam’s kids never thought they’d live to see someone charged with the murder of their “generous and caring” father — but 30 years on his alleged killer has fronted a NSW court.

Ray Keam’s kids never thought they’d live to see someone charged with the murder of their “generous and caring” father — but 30 years on his alleged killer has fronted a NSW court.

Mr Keam, 43, was found bashed to death in Alison Park, Randwick, 34 years ago.

He was heterosexual but the location lead police to suspect it was one of Sydney‘s infamous gay hate crimes.

The 1980s were a dark chapter in the city‘s history where gangs and individuals attacked men they found at gay haunts — often with fatal consequences.

For decades Mr Keam’s case remained a mystery — until this week.

Strikeforce detectives on Wednesday arrested an elderly Victorian man and extradited him to NSW where he was charged with murder.

Police announced a $1 million reward for information into the murder of Raymond Keam.

UNDATED: Raymond Keam in undated copy photo.

Stanley “Spider” Early, 75, made no application for bail when he fronted Albury Local Court and will remain in custody until October.

“My family and I never thought this day would come, knowing finally that someone could be held accountable for the vicious murder of our father,” Ray’s son, Dane Keam, told The Daily Telegraph.

“We realise that this is only just the beginning, but it‘s the start for us to be able to close this horrible chapter of our lives.”

Mr Keam said he’d often been asked to eulogise his father but his death, more than three decades ago, meant he never really knew Ray.

“Ray was a kind, generous, caring and strong man, that would do anything to help out even a stranger — these are the words that I would regularly hear when people would tell me about my dad,” he said.

“I‘ve been asked to say a few words about what he was like, but unfortunately I can’t answer that because sadly I never really knew him.”

The children of Raymond Keam — Dane and Stephanie Keam give an emotional plea at a media conference as a $1 million NSW Government reward has been offered for information into the death. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

NSW Police reopened the case in 2019 and in June this year announced a $1 million reward for information.

On Thursday they still couldn‘t rule out that more than one person was involved.

Police Minister David Elliott said there was “no such thing as a closed case” in NSW.

“(Ray) did not deserve to be murdered in the callous way that he was,” Mr Elliott told them on Thursday.

“We do hope these answers give you some sort of peace.“

Detective Superintendent Danny Doherty said the crime was one of “ignorance and malevolence”.

Mr Keam and his family thanked the detectives for bringing the charge “after so many years”.

Mr Keam was found by a member of the public on the morning of January 13, 1987, he had severe head injuries.

The homicide squad revisited the cold case in 2019 and relaunched an investigation with detectives attached to Strike Force Augenaut.

Mr Keam, who was 44 when he was killed, had two children and was a martial arts expert with a black belt.

“Raymond was a bright, strong, smart and generous man who can never be replaced,“ his partner Diane Smart said earlier this year.