Tex Arthurell looking for release after 24 years behind bars
A decision on the parole bid of serial killer Reginald Arthurell - who beat a woman to death then took pictures wearing her dress - is yet to be made.
NSW
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Cross-dressing serial killer Reginald “Tex” Arthurell, who has been linked to at least four violent deaths, will remain behind bars after a last minute move for an aged-persons assessment to see if the 73-year-old can live independently in the community.
Arthurell, who photographed himself wearing a dresss belonging to his last victim, Venet Mulhall, is serving a 24-year sentence for bludgeoning her to death in February 1995.
Ms Mulhall was a Prison Fellowship Christian ,who supported him to get an early release
from a sentence for killing his stepfather. He has also been convicted of robbing and killing a sailor in the Northern Territory.
The NSW State Parole Authority (SPA) has formed an intention to free Arthurell on parole with a year of his sentence left but SPA chair, former prosecutor David Frearson, said on Thursday that a decision has been postponed for an assessment to see if he can live independently.
Ms Mulhall’s brother, Paul Quinn, who has campaigned to keep the killer locked up for life, said outside court today that he felt the delay was “progress” and to release him would be a miscarriage of justice.
He has called on Attorney-General Mark Speakman to flag applying for a Continuing Detention Order, which would keep Arthurell locked up when his head sentence ends, and which the SPA would have to take into account when decicing whether to release him on parole.
“Brutal, callous, absolutely no compassion, will do anything to anybody to get a few bucks to buy a rum or a packet of cigarettes,” was how Mr Quinn described the former rodeo worker who conned his sister that they would marry.
“If they had let him out today it would have been legal insanity.”
Arthurell was not required to appear in Parramatta District Court for the hearing. In jail, he identifies as a woman although he is known as Reginald and not Reggie or Regina, The Daily Telegraph can reveal.
Arthurell had killed twice after being released from prison on previous manslaughter convictions before he was released to move in with Ms Mulhall, who he met after she wrote to him in Darwin Jail
When Arthurell was 28 years old, he had killed his stepfather, Thomas Thornton, 49, with a carving knife and then went on the run. Drifting around northern Australia, Arthurell met another man and together in 1981 they robbed and killed 19-year-old sailor, Ross Browning.
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Mr Quinn said today that he had warned his sister about Arthurell but “couldn’t save her life”.
He said SPA had denied him an up to date photograph of Arthurell to see what he looks like now.
The parole hearing was adjourned to July 16
Originally published as Tex Arthurell looking for release after 24 years behind bars
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