Frankston murders: Serial killer Paul Denyer to face parole hearing
Frankston serial killer Paul Denyer has reached his earliest possible parole date but one victim’s family say they’ve barely heard from authorities about the matter.
Police & Courts
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The parents of one of Paul Denyer’s murder victims say they have been “left in the dark” by authorities in charge of his parole, as the serial killer is on Tuesday eligible to be released from jail.
Denyer, dubbed the Frankston serial killer, was sentenced to life with a non-parole period of 30 years in 1993 for the murders of student Elizabeth Anne-Marie Stevens, 18, Seaford mother Debbie Fream, 22, and schoolgirl Natalie Russell, 17.
Natalie’s parents Brian and Carmel Russell were contacted by the Department of Justice via mail in November last year notifying them of his eligibility for community release on April 11, but say they have heard nothing since.
“It would be nice to have a bit of respect for the victims, it is pretty unsettling,” Mr Russell told the Herald Sun.
“We need a bit of transparency. I’ve got people stopping me in the street asking me what’s going on. When I tell them I have no idea, they are flabbergasted.
“We feel left in the dark. We have been expecting something to happen in the last few weeks, to be given some indication of what is going on.
“I’ve been looking forward to this date for a resolution, but it’s all up in the air, again.
“We are pretty upset. After 30 years, we are wondering what is going to happen.”
Mr Russell said multiple attempts to contact the victim's register co-ordinator at the Department of Justice, in a quest for answers, had fallen flat.
“We’ve made a few calls to the department and they say they don’t know,” he said.
“For all we know a decision was made last week. Or, we might be sitting here in a month’s time having the same conversation. We just don’t know.
“Denyer’s parole has been on our mind for 30 years and all of a sudden we have a date. I’m lying awake at night, wondering if we’ll find out.”
Mr Russell said he would like to see reforms made to the management of Victoria’s Adult Parole Board.
“We want a clear idea of how the parole board works, who they answer to and who sets the times for them to actually sit and consider something like this,” he said.
“There is a number of faceless people on the board.”
Mr Russell said the impact of Denyer being eligible for community release had weighed heavily on his family.
“It just brings up the whole thing again, Carmel and I have just about had enough,” he said.
“We have reached the end of our lives and we want some peace and quiet.
“If Denyer misses out for parole this time, he shouldn’t be allowed to keep applying. It would be nice to forget about it and be able to move on with our lives.”
The Adult Parole Board declined to comment, citing “strict confidentiality provisions” in the Corrections Act.
The Department of Justice were contacted for comment.
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