Monster hitman Rodney Collins dies in jail, taking secrets to the grave
PROLIFIC hitman Rodney Collins — a suspect in nine executions — has died, taking to the grave key secrets that could have solved a series of high profile murders including the Hodson double execution.
Law & Order
Don't miss out on the headlines from Law & Order. Followed categories will be added to My News.
PROLIFIC hitman Rodney Collins has died, taking to the grave key secrets that could have solved a series of high profile murders including the Hodson double execution.
Collins, serving a life sentence in maximum security Barwon Prison for the brutal slaying of Ramon and Dorothy Abbey in their West Heidelberg home in 1987, died in hospital of natural causes on Wednesday, the Herald Sun has confirmed.
A Corrections Victoria spokeswoman said: “A 72-year-old prisoner died of apparent natural causes in hospital on Wednesday. As with all deaths in custody, the matter has been referred to the Coroner, who will formally determine the cause of death.’’ It is understood he died in hospital of cancer.
SPECIAL REPORT: HOW A HITMAN HID IN PLAIN SIGHT
RODNEY COLLINS BUTCHERED WITHOUT CARE OR MERCY
ANDREW RULE: THE ESKY MURDER CARL GOT AWAY WITH
Police, who arrested Collins over the Abbey killings 21 years after the murders, on June 2008, suspect him of committing up to nine hits.
The arresting officers, however, were on a taskforce probing the executions of police informers Terence and Christine Hodson.
His death is a blow to solving the Hodsons’ murders, which is still considered one of the state’s highest profile unsolved cases.
The Hodsons’ daughter, Nikki Komiazyk, said Collins’ death came as “good news’’.
“It’s a shame he was not convicted because I believe he was involved with my parents’ murders,’’ she said.
“How could he (Collins) hold onto that information and not do the right thing.’’
When police raided his Northcote flat they found night-vision equipment, a loaded gun and protected police documents.
In March 2009 they would charge him with murdering the Hodsons. Former police officer Paul Dale was also charged with commissioning Terence’s murder.
The married couple were shot in their Kew East home in May, 2004, after a hitman bashed their dogs and entered the backroom of their unit.
The Hodsons’ were killed before Terence could testify against his former police handlers, Dale, and his police partner David Miechel, about a burglary he confessed they conspired to commit.
The address was a safe house in Oakleigh, under police surveillance, and filled with Tony Mokbel’s drugs and cash.
Carl Williams would later tell investigators that Dale commissioned the murder of Terence at a meeting in Hillside, northwest of Melbourne, on May 6, 2004, before Hodson could testify against Dale at the committal hearing.
Williams said Dale paid $150,000 for the hit. He also stated to police he hired Collins as the hitman.
Williams was killed in jail. The case against Collins and Dale collapsed.
Interestingly, Collins held several meetings with a detective investigating the Hodson killings but refused to make a statement without a guarantee of a $1 million reward for his girlfriend, Kylie Haggar.
He also wanted to be released on bail while remanded for the Abbey murders.
It was a deal police were not willing to make.
Collins is also suspected of being behind the murders of feared standover man Brian Kane in 1982 inside Brunswick’s Quarry Hotel, and Carlton Crew identity Mario Condello, who was shot dead in Brighton in 2006.
In 2009 he was sentenced to life in jail with a minimum of 32 years for the Abbey murders.
Collins repeatedly belied his standing as an underworld stalwart by throwing other criminals under a bus. In 2011, he was bashed in a shower block by other prisoners.
The Herald Sun has been told his talking to police after the Hodson killings was not the first time he had spoken to authorities.
MORE LAW AND ORDER NEWS:
WHAT BECAME OF HITMEN BEHIND GANGLAND BLOODSHED