Letters from gangland killer Carl Williams give new insight into his life behind bars
Attempts to seduce women on the outside, heartbreak over the death of his mum, a broken romance and a growing sense of foreboding as the day of his murder edges closer are revealed in astonishing letters penned by underworld killer Carl Williams.
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Facing the prospect of life in jail, baby-faced killer Carl Williams spent his days behind bars writing letters to friends, family and associates.
Now, 240 of those letters — retrieved from his computer — have been compiled into a book that gives an astonishing insight into the slain crime boss in the last 18 months of his life at Barwon Prison.
They reveal his attempts to seduce women on the outside, his heartbreak over the death of his mum, his pain over the breakdown of a relationship, details of day-to-day life in maximum security and a growing sense of foreboding as the day of his murder edges closer.
Williams was a driving force behind Melbourne’s brutal underworld conflict from the late 1990s until his arrest in 2004, amid a series of tit-for-tat slayings including the very public execution of rival drug dealer Jason Moran at a children’s football clinic.
On April 19, 2010, Williams was beaten to death with a metal bar from an exercise bike in his Barwon’s Acacia unit by fellow inmate Matthew Charles Johnson. Johnston, 46, is serving a 32-year sentence for murder.
In early letters, Williams talks about how good it is to have “Matty” in his unit and his battle to get his dad George, who was also in prison, moved into his unit. His request was granted.
Commissioning publisher Richard Walsh said Williams had begun to show contrition and appeared to be preparing for death in his last few months.
“That period is an extraordinary period, it’s almost as if he had some sort of premonition that he was going to die and he needed to set his house in order in some sort of way,” Mr Walsh said.
“It’s amazing, he is kind of reappraising his life and trying to come to a new status quo.”
The letters show the many facets of Williams, from cocky underworld figure, frustrated inmate and loving son to proud dad and lustful penpal.
The letters to female penpals become increasingly more raunchy as he attempts to seduce them, urging them to send photos and write dirty letters to him.
“They’re not totally aware of the rules,” Mr Walsh said. “He wants stuff that is going to turn him on, he wants words and he wants images that are going to turn him on because that’s about as far as it’s going to get.
“He can still pull them is his phrase — he has not lost that ability to charm people.”
November 4, 2008
To Fabian Quaid
Dear Fab*,
I trust this letter finds you in the best of health and spirits, as it leaves me fine.
Yeh I read all about Ben Cousins and the police commissioner virtually putting a stop on him going to Collingwood. I like the loyalty that he show to you, when others might not think it’s in his best interest, he seems like a really good person, with rare qualities. Can you tell that I said “when he comes to Melbourne, he can come to visit me if he wants too”. In addition, Roberta and the kids want to meet him, and take him out for dinner when he comes to Melb, she asked me the other day, to tell you to give him her phone number, or visa-versa.
*A close friend of footballer Ben Cousins, Fabian Quaid was arrested in May 2008 on the charge of conspiring to traffic 45kg of ecstasy with a value of around $24m. In March 2010 he was finally sentenced to 17 years’ jail with a minimum of 10 years and six months
April 8, 2009
To Beau Goddard
Dear Beau,
The Saints are flying — you’d be rapt, I see they were having something to say about Brendon for doing the cuff sign for you, they should get a f---ing life (see note). I seen the article in the paper, and Brendon handled himself very well, he obviously looks up to you, let him know I was proud of him. I like Brendon; he is actually my favourite player in the whole completion.
*The half-brother of St Kilda and Essendon champion Brendon Goddard, Beau Raymond Goddard was jailed for at least nine years in 2007 for heroin supply. Brendon caused a controversy after one of his goals by crossing his arms over his chest, in a gesture believed to symbolise handcuffs. He admitted it was a tribute to Beau, who was an inspiration to him.
11 May 2009
To Tommy Ivanovic
Dear Tommy*,
I just received your letter, dated 10th of May, yesterday, and it was good to hear from you again, as it always is.
Yeh, lately I have been having a few problems with Stacey**, she said to me a few weeks ago that she’s had enough, she wants me home with her, which isn’t possible. I love her so much, but these last few weeks have been hard to tolerate. As I said, she wants me home with her, and now! Which unfortunately isn’t at all possible, she’s missing me badly, and after every visit she doesn’t want to leave, and when she does, she’s just cries her eyes out, as she doesn’t want to leave me behind — it’s not fair. However she has now decided that it’d be best if we backed off one another for a bit, which I don’t want to happen, but I respect her wishes, after all she hold the cards — not me.
Ps) Maybe Megan has got some friends who could write to me, and help take my mind off Stacey, ask her, and get back to me ASAP on that one, if she has can you get them to write to me, ASAP, and enclose a photo.
*Tommy Ivanovic was a cellmate of Carl Williams at the time of his murder.
**Stacey was Carl’s girlfriend while in jail until she moved on in 2009
31 July 2009
To Esmeralda
Dear Esmerelda*,
I trust this letter finds you in the best of health and spirits, as it leaves me fine.
Shock horror!!!!! Thankfully, I finally received a letter from you — with photos enclosed — lucky me hey — they say good things come to those who wait, and as you know I’ve been waiting long enough to hear from you — one thing is for sure though, your letter and photos were better late than never. The next time I get photo taken of myself here, I’ll send you one, as I’ve lost 30 kilos from the ones you’d have access too, so you probably won’t recognize me.
So you googled me hey — Hhmmmm, scary. If I were to believe only half the s--- that they write about me — I’d be scared of myself, they love to sensationalize everything about me, and unfortunately for me my name sells, so naturally the media love me.
*Not her real name
3 August 2009
To Tracey
Dear Tracey*,
I trust this letter finds you in the best of health and spirits, as it leaves me fine.
One day last week, I received your letter, with photos enclosed, and it was my pleasure to finally hear from you, as they say better late than never.
I’m glad to hear that you’re excited to be my pen pal, its good to hear that I can still excite people even from here.
*Not her real name
13 August 2009
To Tracey
Dear Tracey,
As of Sunday I got my phone calls back, I’m now aloud to make 32 calls per-week instead of 7, so yeh I’m back in the game. If you want, when you write back give me your number, and I’ll put you on my phone list.
What date is your B/day? Mine is October 13 — I actually got shot on my 29th B/day, good present hey — but some say the return gift was much better.
Thank god you haven’t seen that bullshit Underbelly series. They get some parts of it right, like who was killed — apart from that nothing much else is. I don’t like the way I’m portrayed, like some braindead imbecile, I should’ve expect any better, after all I’m
not the most popular person in the Authorities’ eyes — oh well you can’t please everyone all the time, so it’s no use trying too.
9 October 2009
To Roberta Williams
Dear Roberta*,
Bert, don’t worry I miss you just as much as you miss me — if not more, so you’re not the lone ranger in that department. (SMILEY FACE EMOJI)
I miss not being able to talk to you — even if at times, you get me angry, and drive me insane — and I feel like pulling my hair out — Arghh. I guess we’re so use to each other — and always being there for one another — that’s love I guess — do you agree? (LMAO) that stands for laugh my ass off. I love you Bert, and I always will, nothing will ever change that, and you know it.
It was good to talk to Dhakota* today, she’s so cute — she worried about her money, she makes me laugh.
From what I read in the paper about the Don’s** book, he has a bit to say about me, even though I don’t even know him. He reckons I’m not the brightest — says a lot for him. If I turned all their lives upside down, his included, and I had them all ducking for cover — with no brains — imagine what I could’ve done if I had half a brain — true?
*Roberta married Carl in 2001 and they had daughter Dhakota.
**The Don refers to Mick Gatto
2 December 2009
To Roberta Williams
Dear Roberta,
There’s a lot of things that I don’t really talk to you about, and I think vice versa, as it’s just too hurtful to go over. I just wish that I were out there with you. I know I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my life — that I for one wish I could reverse — but unfortunately, that’s not possible. I know some of the things that I did when I was outside hurt you a lot — and believe me, I’ve had a lot of time (years) to sit here and think about it all, and I kick myself for that.
You’re a good person and you certainly never deserved some of the s--- that I put you through. You know when I pleaded guilty, and virtually kissed my life goodbye, I did so for the ones I love — you, my mum and dad, and the kids. As I wanted each and every one of you to live the rest of your days in peace.
But believe me, it was one of the hardest things I reckon I’ve ever had to do.
That day I knew 100%, that I’d never get to see Dhakota walk down the aisle. I also knew what I had with you was 100% gone.
I knew I’d never see my mum or dad alive again as a free man, but I knew I had to do what I did, as I believed that it was the right thing to do, despite my mum crying in court, and begging for me not to do it. I often think to myself, was what I did that day the breaking
point of her, I’ll never know — and I try to convince myself that it wasn’t — because if it was, it was the biggest mistake that I’ve ever made, you don’t know how bad that does my head in.
Then within 18 months, my mum takes her own life — which absolutely crushed me, and a lot more than what you could ever imagine.
I just wish that I had my time over again — how I would do things so differently.
22 March 2010
To Milad Mokbel
Dear Milad*,
Hi ya buddy, how’s things, I trust all is going as good as can be expected for you, as for me here I’m fine.
Yeah I see Nicola** is ill, how ill though would be anyone’s guess, if she told me the sky was blue, I’d have to go and check it, you know my thoughts on her — I don’t think I’d be on her Christmas card list, nor do I wanna be. (ha ha)
*Milad Mokbel is the brother of crime boss Tony Mokbel. In 2006, he was jailed on drug trafficking offences.
**Lawyer X, barrister Nicola Gobbo
18 April 2010
To Karina
Dear Karina*,
Well hello there you sexy little bitch; I trust all is as good as it can be out there for you and the kids, as for me here I’m fine.
On Friday night, I received your letter, and it was my absolute pleasure to hear from you again, as it always is, I love it when I receive mail from you.
I’ve missed not being able to talk to you — and I’ve also missed not seeing your gorgeous face, more than words could say too. Hopefully after you’ve been operated on, you can get the sexy ass of yours up here to see me, I look forward to your visits, I think I’d better ease up now, as I might give you too much of a bighead. (lol)
Court has now been adjourned until the 10th of January, next year, what the...... Oh well now I think I’ll try and get my appeal heard in between, then at least I know where I stand.
We still haven’t started this self catering cooking program. I’m led to believe all the appliances have arrived, but as yet nothing’s been installed, let’s hope we start it before I go home, J we should’ve already had it by now — but as you know the wheels turns very slowly in here, unless of course it’s something they want to take off us. I don’t really have much more to add, therefore I guess I will leave it there for now, and I hope to hear from you again soon.
MWAH
With best wishes & respect,
Your friend always — Carl
This letter was composed and printed out on Carl’s computer on 18 April 2010. It was the last letter he composed and presumably he posted it on that day.
*K was one of Carl’s correspondents
6 September 2009
To Tracey
Dear Tracey,
On Friday, I received your most welcomed letter, with photos enclosed, and I was so happy to hear from you again, as I always am. The photos were fantastic — thanks for them — you looked hot.
You wanted to know more about prison life — as I said earlier I’m in a Management/High Security Unit, and have been since my arrest in 2004, 5 ½ years ago. The regime I’m on, is different then what other people in different section of this Prison are on — we’re on a more restricted regime — where was get virtually f--- all.
The unit that I’m currently living in has 6 cells, but at the moment there are only 3 of us who live in here — me and two others. Now what do we have access to here — a Gym — which consists of machine weight, treadmill, exercise bike, boxing bag, chin — up, dips, and sit up station, two small exercise yards, one being no bigger than a tennis court, and the other is half that size, in both yards we get filtered sunlight, as there is mesh covering the roofs. In our cells, we have a toilet, a shower, and we have TV’s in our cells, that we can watch whenever we want, and whatever we want, although we only get the free to air channels.
As you can see I have my own personal computer — which I’m always on, unfortunately we can’t access the internet — although I wish we could — I’d be on that facebook all day and night, that’d make my time go quicker.
The only things that I’m allowed to have sent in besides letters and photos, are virtually books, magazines, jocks and socks, no movies or anything like that. Other things such as CD’s, PC games, PlayStation games, runners, ect, ect, we can buy once a month on what is called a special buy, we pay for them, and the Prison go out and purchase them for us.
My daily routine is I get up — we are let out of our cells at 8.00am — than I usually make a few phone calls, eat breakfast — go for a jog on the treadmill, have a shower.
Then I do the weights — eat lunch — mess around with the others here for a while, and/or I make more phone calls — do the weights again, than its nearly time to get locked up for the day — which is 3—3.30pm, I usually go to sleep about 10.30—11.30pm, quite boring these days aren’t I? I put a phone list in last week to have your phone number added to it, so that I can ring you.
4 January 2010
To Milad Mokbel
Dear Milad,
Thank f--- we’re finally into another year — 32 more to go — what the ...... hope I have some luck at my appeal — this isn’t jail, this is a nut farm.
I don’t know when my appeal will come up, but sometime this year I guess, I have a court appearance in March, not sure for how long — I hope it’s not too long, I wish you were coming with me holding my hand.
— Edited extract from Life Sentence, My Last Eighteen Months by Carl Williams, to be published Monday, August 5 (Allen and Unwin, RRP $32.99)
Originally published as Letters from gangland killer Carl Williams give new insight into his life behind bars
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