We profile the victims of Queen St mass killer Frank Vitkovic
THE VICTIMS: FRANK Vitkovic's randomly selected targets had no idea of the horrors he would unleash until he appeared in their offices.
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IT is 25 years on December 8 since troubled loner and loser Frank Vitkovic walked into the Australia Post building in Melbourne's Queen St and started shooting employees.
Herald Sun Insight Editor Keith Moor has reconstructed what happened on that dreadful day, used Vitkovic's own diary to indicate the disturbed state of Vitkovic's mind and painted a picture of each of the eight victims he shot dead.
Below, he writes about each of the victims and what was said about them soon after the 1987 shooting.
LAST WORDS: Frank Vitkovic's suicide note
READ VITKOVIC'S DISTURBING DIARY NOW
Web link version: Frank Vitkovic diary
PDF version: Frank Vitkovic diary
THE RECONSTRUCTION: Queen St killer's evil mission
MARIANNE JACOBA VAN EWYK
Marianne was 38. 11th floor victim. Shot once in the head.
The timing of Frank Vitkovic's rampage was particularly tragic in the case of Marianne Van Ewyk, an Australia Post employee for 20 years.
She was due to go on leave within a few days and had intended resigning while on holiday. She and her long-time de facto husband, Bernard Sharp had planned to retire to Mildura.
The couple had also planned to marry as soon as they settled in their new home.
Mr Sharp said there was an unofficial wedding ceremony during Marianne's funeral.
"Our 15-year-old son Peter was best man. I placed my mother's wedding ring on her finger as she lay in the coffin,'' he said at the time.
"It was a touching moment. It helped Peter cope with the death of his mother. He said the wedding ceremony was a wonderful idea.''
Mr Sharp said he had finally persuaded Marianne to leave Australia Post and she had not intended returning from her annual leave, due to start 12 days after Vitkovic killed her.
"She worked far too hard, she deserved a rest. We were going to take things easy in Mildura,'' he said.
Marianne was a nervous person and had taken up yoga as a means of relaxing. She was also captain of a Glen Waverley netball team called the Kiamas.
Mr Sharp drove Marianne to Syndal railway station from their nearby home on the day of the Queen St massacre. She boarded a city-bound train at 8 am.
He rang her at 4.15 pm that day to tell her there was a rail strike and to arrange a lift home with a friend.
"Her last words to me were 'Goodbye honey'. She was shot and killed minutes later,'' Mr Sharp said.
David Spencer's daughter Sarah Jane is escorted at his funeral. Marianne van Ewyk was set to go on leave in a few days before her brutal and untimely death. Pictures: HWT library
WARREN DAVID SPENCER
Warren was 30. 12th floor victim. Shot twice. Once in the back of the head and once in the right side of the neck.
David Spencer's colleagues remembered him as a true gentleman. His phone manner was something they distinctly recalled.
"Thank you kindly and have a nice day,'' was the way he signed off after each conversation. It was a habit his workmates found endearing.
The father of two lived with his de facto wife Susan Welfare and their two young children in Parkdale.
He had been employed with Australia Post for seven years.
David rode his motorcycle to work as usual on the day he was murdered. Susan Welfare, who also worked in the Australia Post building, came with him. The couple met for lunch. She went to his desk on the 13th floor at 4.20 pm to ask him what time he intended going home, only to find he had gone downstairs to the 12th floor.
She was told at 5 pm that David was one of the eight people killed by Vitkovic.
CATHERINE MARY DOWLING
Cathy was 28. 11th floor victim. Shot five times. Once in the back of the head, once in the right upper arm, once in the left buttock, once in the left upper back and once in the left side of the neck.
She had achieved the great Australian dream of owning a home in late November, 1987.
She was full of talk at work about her new unit in Devonshire Rd, Watsonia. She was looking forward to decorating it in her style - hanging pictures she was fond of and generally just putting something of herself into the unit.
Noted for a infectious chuckle and warm smile, she had joined Australia Post on May 1, 1980.
She was educated at the Catholic Ladies College in Eltham and attended the Phillip Institute in Bundoora for a course in business studies.
Cathy enjoyed gymnastics, calisthenics and aerobics.
Her mother saw her for the last time at Mass on the Sunday before she was killed. She was one of eight children, ranging in age from 21 to 36.
JUDITH ANNE MORRIS
Judith was 19. 5th floor victim. Shot once in the back.
Judy Morris, Frank Vitkovic's first victim, was a Salvation Army Sunday School teacher who loved life.
She lived in Sydney Rd, Coburg North, with her father, and became engaged in July. She was to be married in February, 1989.
Judy loved children. During her school days she undertook work experience in child care.
She was murdered the day before her first anniversary as a teller with the Telecom Credit Union.
Born in New Zealand, she moved her when she was 12 and was a pupil at Hadfield High School in Pascoe Vale.
Young workers (L-R) Judy Morris, 19, and Julie McBean, 20, both had promising careers and lives before them before being randomly shot dead by Frank Vitkovic. Picture: HWT library
JULIE McBEAN
Julie was 20. 12th floor victim, shot in the head and chest.
Julie had already started making plans for her coming of age. She was thrilled at the thought of turning 21 and had begun arrangements for a big party to celebrate the important occasion.
Vitkovic's actions of December 8, 1987, put an end to any such festivities.
She had been promoted three times in the eight months since joining Australia Post and was in line for yet another upgrading. She achieved marks of 96 per cent in the first semester of her college accountancy course, recorded the 11th highest mark of 900 prospective employees examined by Australia Post and had a zest for life that was difficult to keep up with.
"When Julie was eight her teacher told me she had the ability to do anything she set her mind to do,'' Julie's mother Irene said after the shooting.
Julie was meticulous about the way she looked and dressed. It was her habit to get up at 5.30 am to get ready for work.
On the day she died she paid particular attention to her appearance.
She wore a pair of striking silver drop earrings, each embedded with a fine black stone. An expensive silver and diamond ring on her right fourth finger matched nicely with a silver faced Seiko watch worn on her left wrist.
Julie spent several minutes in front of the mirror ensuring her wavy brown hair was perfect and applying a new pink lipstick she was trying out.
"On that particular day I looked up as Julie walked into the kitchen at 6.30am and thought how beautiful she looked,'' Mrs McBean said.
"She had a glow about her that morning. Whether she had just blow dried her hair differently or something I don't know, but there was something special about her that morning.''
Mrs McBean drove Julie, and her sister Kerryn, 18, to Glen Waverley station.
"As Julie walked away to catch the train into work I said to her 'have a happy day'. I never saw her again,'' Mrs McBean said.
"She would have been at work by 7.45am and was going to work through to 6pm as the previous day she had knocked off early to do some Christmas shopping.''
Julie initially attended Glen Waverley High School, but enrolled at Huntingdale Technical School to complete Years 10, 11 and 12 after developing a keen interest in art and design.
"From there she wanted to do a graphic design course, but couldn't get on a course in Melbourne,'' Mrs McBean said.
"She took up a place at the Warrnambool Institute of Advanced Education, where she completed the first year of a Bachelor of Arts course.
"That course could only have led her into teaching and she decided she didn't want to do that.
"That's when she applied for the job with Australia Post.''. She started work in the Queen St building on April 9, 1987.
Annunziata "Nancy" Avignone's coffin is carried from the church following her death at the hands of lone gunman Frank Vitkovic. She was just 18 years old. Picture: HWT library
ANNUNZIATA AVIGNONE
Annunziata was 18. 12th floor victim. Shot three times. Once above the right ear, once in the chest and once in the third right finger as she tried to protect her head with her hands.
Although she had only worked for Australia Post for six weeks Nancy, as she was known, was well liked by her friends on the 12th floor.
As the junior in the office she was called "sweet little Nancy'.
She made a number of firm friends in her short time in the Philatelic Bureau. They remember how Nancy loved the popular music of the day. They remember how close she was to her family, who she lived with in Essendon. Nancy went to St Columba's College in Essendon, where she spent six years. She completed her HSC there in 1986.
"Our memories of Nancy are of her gentleness and her beautiful smile,'' one of her former teachers said.
"She had an unfailing love for family and friends and was most caring and loyal.''
WITNESS STATEMENTS
Brave Tony Gioia tackled Vitkovic during rampage
Wounded Queen St hero Frank Carmody's story
Donald McElroy tells of killer's 'dead pan expression'
Glen Shilling sent back into the killing zone
ROD BROWN
Rod was 32. 11th floor victim. Shot once in the head.
Rod Brown loved his sporty little car - which is why he left it at home as usual on the day he travelled in to the Australia Post building for the last time.
He had bought a cheap bomb to drive backwards and forwards to Mentone railway station each working day.
Frank Vitkovic saw to it that Rod was never able to pick that vehicle up. It languished at Mentone station for days.
"Rod was so funny with his cars. He had his good Mazda and this little Mini,'' his older sister Cathy Sill said after the shooting.
"He got the Mini simply because he couldn't bear the thought of leaving his pride and joy at the station all day, where it might have got scratched or stolen.''
Rod started with Australia Post on April 14, 1978. He was an accountancy officer and a recognised whiz on the works computers.
He was also a bit of an office rebel. His dislike of bureaucratic procedure, and the irreverence with which he treated such things, endeared him to his fellow workers in the finance and accounting department.
Known affectionately as "Roddles'' he was one of the best loved characters in the office.
"Rod was a very gentle and caring person. My two children adored him,'' Ms Sill said.
"He lived by himself. He bought his own home in Mentone a couple of years ago and kept it immaculate He was very house proud.''
Rod was still conscious when police first arrived at the scene of carnage on the 11th floor.
He was still alert enough to tell a police officer he had to dial 0 to get an outside line.
"We will never know whether quicker medical help might have saved his life,'' Ms Sill said.
"But I think I would rather him to not survive than to be a vegetable. He would have hated not to have been able to live a full life.
"Rod was a keen marathon runner. He prided himself on his fitness.
"The people on his floor were all fairly close. They organised lunches and things regularly.
"In fact they had all paid their money to go to a Melbourne restaurant for a Christmas party. Of course they couldn't go because most of them were killed or injured.''
Rod and his only sister grew up in East Malvern. He went to school at De La Salle College before attending Swinburne College of TAFE, where he did a course in business studies. His only other job was with the Dairy Industry in St Kilda Rd, which he left in 1978 to go to Australia Post.
Shooting victim Rod Brown (left) was a popular figure in the Australia Post offices, while Michael McGuire had been hoping to get home for his five-year-old son Brian's birthday. Picture: HWT library
MICHAEL McGUIRE
Michael was 38. 11th floor victim. Shot three times. Once in the left knee, once in the left shoulder and once in the head. The final shot to the head was from close range.
Brian McGuire turned five on December 8, 1987 - the day his father was murdered by Queen St killer Frank Vitkovic. Mr McGuire, 38, never got to kiss his son that morning, or give him the customary hug and happy birthday greeting.
Vitkovic's rampage saw to it that the father-of-three was not able to hand over Brian's present at the planned family birthday party that night.
"Michael was normally still home when the kids got up, particularly when one of them had a birthday,'' Mrs Ann Maree McGuire said after the shooting.
"But he had been sick with asthma and had had three weeks off in November.
"He had a backlog of work to clear up and decided to go in early on the day he was killed.
"He left Brian a note on the kitchen table before catching a tram into the office about 7 am. At least he was able to ring Brian during the morning and sing him happy birthday, but it's not the same as delivering the greeting in person.''
Mrs McGuire rang her husband at 4.15 pm to ask what time he would be home.
"As we were talking I heard these loud bangs in the background. I thought it was somebody in the office playing games,'' she said.
"He kept saying 'can you hear those noises? It sounds like gunfire'.
"It went on and on. I could also hear sirens.
"I had this strange feeling I shouldn't be talking to him on the phone. He said he thought there was probably a robbery upstairs in the philatelic section.
"I had this stupid idea that if they came running down the stairwell and saw Michael on the phone that they would shoot him because they would think he was ringing the police.
"So I told Michael I had better hang up. Michael wasn't worried, just a bit edgy.
"I distinctly remember somebody shouting about locking some doors then I told him not to worry about getting home early for the birthday party, but to make sure he rang me to let me know what was happening.
"I said we would go ahead with tea at the normal time and that I would put his aside. I knew the activity at the office would delay him, but I never thought he wouldn't be coming home again.''
Mrs McGuire turned on the radio and listened intently to the regular bulletins on the Queen St shooting. She tried to appear calm for the sake of their three children, Brian, 5, Damien, 8, and Gavin, 10.
She was told at 10.12 pm that Michael, an Australia Post employee for 21 years, was one of eight victims.
Mr McGuire, who had lived in West Brunswick all his life, enjoyed fine wine, was a one-eyed Essendon supporter, used to play football for the Australian Postal Institute and was a valuable member of the Australia Post tenpin bowling team.
