‘You’ll be next’: Alleged threat from accused killer of Warrnambool man Christopher Jarvis

The accused killer of Warrnambool man Christopher Jarvis, Glenn Fenwick, allegedly threatened a co-conspirator to stay quiet or he would ‘be next’.

Thunder Point, where the burnt out car of missing person Christopher Jarvis was found. Picture: Supplied

A man involved in the cold case killing of a Warrnambool father claims the alleged killer told him to stay quiet or “you’ll be next”.

The remains of Christopher Jarvis, 38, have never been found after he disappeared from his Wangoom home near Warrnambool, in the state’s southwest, in June 2006.

Glenn Fenwick, 61, pleaded guilty to Mr Jarvis’ manslaughter after he helped his friend — known in proceedings as AB — allegedly assault and kill the father-of-five on the day he went missing amid a rental dispute.

The pair allegedly ambushed Mr Jarvis as he left for work on the morning of June 13, 2006, assaulting him before he was bundled into the boot of his own car and driven to nearby Framlingham Forest where a shallow grave was dug.

Christopher Jarvis was allegedly killed by a blow to the back of his head with a baseball bat. Picture: Supplied

Still alive, Mr Jarvis was stripped of his clothes before AB allegedly delivered a fatal blow to his head with a baseball bat.

The Supreme Court on Friday heard prosecutors accepted Fenwick’s plea on the basis he did not make an agreement with AB to kill or seriously injure Mr Jarvis.

Both men were charged with murder but the charge against AB was later dropped and Fenwick’s downgraded to manslaughter.

Fenwick’s lawyer Julia Munster told the pre-sentence hearing her client was haunted by his actions and regretted not helping Mr Jarvis who had called out to him for help during the assault.

“He described ongoing guilt, regret, shame and self-reproach for his involvement in the offence and for not doing anything to help the victim,” she said.

The court heard Fenwick did not know Mr Jarvis, and he was enlisted by AB who he had developed a father-like relationship with.

“Mr Fenwick had no issue or dispute with Mr Jarvis himself,” she said.

“He had nothing to gain, other than perhaps a desire to please his older, and much more dominant friend.”

Christopher Jarvis’ step daughter Nicole Raitt and son Cale Jarvis. Picture: Aneeka Simonis

She said her client went along with AB “out of fear, loyalty and passivity” and the pair remained friends despite AB allegedly threatening Fenwick into silence.

“AB told Mr Fenwick not to tell anyone, or ‘you’ll be next’,” she said.

Details about the 18-year cold case were revealed at an earlier hearing, including that AB wanted to evict Mr Jarvis amid a dispute over unpaid rent.

After abducting and killing their victim, Fenwick and AB drove into sand dunes near Thunder Point, a popular coastal lookout in Warrnambool, and torched his car.

The pair were not arrested until 2022 after the case was reinvestigated.

Despite Fenwick’s guilty plea and extensive searches, Mr Jarvis’ remains have not been found.

Fenwick, who has been in custody for more than two years, will be sentenced next year.