Accused Easey Street killer Perry Kouroumblis charged with two counts of murder, one count of rape

The siblings of two women stabbed to death in one of Melbourne’s most notorious crimes have come face to face with their accused killer, Perry Kouroumblis, as he fronted court charged with their murder 47 years on.

The siblings of Easey St victims Suzanne Armstrong and Susan Bartlett have come face to face with their accused killer as he fronted court on Australian soil for the first time.

Perry Kouroumblis appeared in the dock at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court — flanked by two custody officers — at 3.23pm on Wednesday as two charges of murder and one of rape were laid.

Mr Kouroumblis sported a grey beard and untamed grey hair and spoke only once to say “yep” as he was told he would be remanded into custody over Christmas.

Two murder charges and a rape charge were formally laid on Wednesday over the deaths of Suzanne Armstrong, 27, and Susan Bartlett, 28, on January 13, 1977.

Gayle Armstrong and Martin Bartlett sat in the front row alongside homicide squad detectives to relish the moment they had been waiting decades for.

Mr Kouroumblis said nothing throughout the brief administrative hearing, only nodding at the end that he understood what was happening.

The court heard he had been officially charged in May 2020.

He made no application for bail and his case was adjourned to February.

Outside court, Ms Armstrong and Mr Bartlett stood united, revealing their relief that someone had been charged over the killings.

Perry Kouroumblis was arrested in Rome after being lured under the guise of a potential business deal.

Ms Armstrong, who said she gave Mr Kouroumblis a “dirty look” as he sat in the dock, said she was feeling “ecstatic” and always knew this day would come.

She recalled wanting to “get up and have a dance” when she first got the call from police that they were bringing the suspect back to Australia.

“Those detectives have done a miracle job,” she said.

She repeatedly thanked the dogged efforts of the Victoria Police detectives.

“Very appreciative to our detectives who’ve worked so hard these last few years,” she said.

“They have done an absolute magic job — and I just hope their good work keeps falling into place.”

The Palace of the Court of Appeal Criminal Section where the judge took charge of the extradition order against Perry Kouroumblis.

Mr Bartlett said: “I think it’s not really fair that my sister died in her 20s”.

He recalled how Suzanne and Susan grew up together in Benalla, and that they all went to the same high school, him three years younger.

Mr Bartlett said his sister and Gayle’s sister then moved to Melbourne, later travelling to Greece together, before moving into the Easey St property on their return.

Easey St accused back on Melbourne soil

Forty-seven years after the friends were stabbed to death inside their Collingwood home, Mr Kouroumblis landed at Melbourne Airport on Qatar flight QR988 flanked by three Victoria Police homicide detectives at 11.30pm on Tuesday.

Mr Kouroumblis was the first passenger to disembark from the flight.

Perry Kouroumblis covers his face as he is driven into Victoria Police’s Spencer St headquarters about 1.30am on Wednesday. Picture: Jason Edwards

Perry Kouroumblis’ flight lands in Melbourne on Tuesday night. Picture: Olivia Jenkins

Kouroumblis was extradited from Rome. Picture: Olivia Jenkins

On board this Qatar flight that landed in Melbourne about 11.30pm is accused Easey St double murderer Perry Kouroumblis. He’s flanked by several homicide detectives and will be taken to Victoria Police’s city headquarters to be questioned and likely charged @theheraldsunpic.twitter.com/j2vXvWxvH0

— Olivia Jenkins (@byoliviajenkins) December 3, 2024

Mr Kouroumblis covered his face with the hood of a black jacket as he was driven into Victoria Police’s Spencer St headquarters at 1.30am.

One detective was seated next to him in the back seat of a Kia SUV, while detective Inspector Dean Thomas sat in the front passenger seat.

Confidential documents outlining the details of Mr Kouroumblis’ extradition obtained by the Herald Sun reveal detectives were ready to move in on the 65-year-old in 2020.

A warrant for his arrest was granted by Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on May 20 that year.

More than four years after that warrant was issued, Mr Kouroumblis was pictured boarding his first flight to Doha from Rome at 1am on Monday Melbourne time.

He was transferred to Fiumicino Airport from the Italian capital’s Regina Coeli prison, where he had been detained since his arrest on September 19.

He had a brief stopover in Doha before boarding his connecting flight to Melbourne.

Perry Kouroumblis boards a flight to Australia. Picture: Erik Messori and Andrea Vagnoni

Mr Kouroumblis boards the flight in Italy about 1am on Tuesday. Picture: Erik Messori and Andrea Vagnoni

The plane on the runway in Italy. Picture: Erik Messori and Andrea Vagnoni

Pictures taken of Mr Kouroumblis on board the flight showed him sitting next to detectives in economy class as he watched the in-flight entertainment system at his seat.

Mr Kouroumblis was arrested in Rome after being lured there under the guise of a potential business deal.

His departure from Athens triggered an Interpol notice, which alerted Italian authorities to his arrival.

Suzanne Armstrong and Susan Bartlett were killed in Collingwood in 1977.

Mr Kouroumblis’ court-appointed lawyer Serena Tucci last week said the accused killer was “worried” about being brought back to Australia.

Ms Armstrong and Ms Bartlett were stabbed to death inside their Easey St home in Collingwood on January 10 1977.

They were discovered three days later.

Ms Armstrong’s 16-month-old son, Gregory, was left unharmed by the killer.

No one has ever been charged over the women’s murders.

The case went cold until 2017, when Mr Kouroumblis was asked to provide a DNA sample.

He travelled to Greece, where he remained until his arrest.

Mr Kouroumblis has maintained his innocence while in detention.