Murderer jailed over 1988 gay hate murder of Scott Johnson

It was a cold case that lay dormant for more than three decades, but after a series of shock revelations the murder of Scott Johnson was finally laid to rest.

Convicted killer Scott White arrives at the NSW Supreme Court on Tuesday for his sentencing hearing. Picture: Jeremy Piper

It was a cold case that lay dormant for more than three decades, an ugly hate crime that would never have been exposed but for the ­determination of Scott Johnson’s brother to bring his killer to justice.

But on Tuesday, Steve Johnson was there in court with other members of the family who had flown from the US to watch Scott White, the man convicted of the “gay bashing” murder, sentenced to more than eight years jail.

“We got a chance to speak in court and tell the perpetrator to his face what we lost,” Mr Johnson’s brother said. “We felt we had to be there to stare him in the face for some kind of closure.”

The family of the murdered American mathematician had campaigned for more than 30 years for his death to be properly investigated, with Mr Johnson putting up a reward of $1m of his own money for information.

It had been a mystery that eluded three coronial inquests and years of police negligence.

But after a series of shocking revelations, starting with White’s arrest in 2020 and ending with dramatic testimony from his ex-wife on Monday, the 1988 murder case was finally laid to rest before the NSW Supreme Court.

At Tuesday’s hearing, judge Helen Wilson sentenced White to eight years and three months in prison for the murder of the 27-year-old American student, ruling that he had attacked and murdered Johnson in December 1988.

Delivering her judgment, Justice Wilson said the attack was unplanned and the events leading up to Johnson’s death would remain unknown.

“We all sat (the family) 12 feet from him realising that this man was 18 when he shoved our brother off this cliff,” Mr Johnson said.

“It’s a mixture of anger but also pity. He’s led a challenged life and unfortunately Scott was a casualty of that.

“My main reaction is to the police indifference in the beginning because that’s what allowed my brother to die. It wasn’t that he didn’t get justice at first, he didn’t get protection either. Police didn’t protect gay men.”

Investigations into Johnson’s death began after his body was discovered by fishermen at the foot of Bluefish Point, near Manly. His body was found naked on the rocks, and his clothes neatly folded on the clifftop.

A coronial inquest less than four months later concluded he Johnson had committed suicide. The presiding judge ruled that the description of the 27-year-old man as a “brilliant mathematician” and an “introvert” was consistent with the type of person who might commit suicide.

By the late 1980s, the area had already become synonymous with gay-hate murders, and Johnson’s family remained convinced his death was the result of a homophobic attack.

More than two decades later, his death was re-examined by a second coronial inquest which ruled the previous judgment was flawed because of the absence of any conclusive evidence.

The coroner heard that gangs of “gay bashers” were active in the area and that a gang known as the Narrabeen Skinheads had boasted about bashing an “American faggot” at the time of Johnson’s death. But the coroner ruled the evidence could not be corroborated.

It was not until a third inquest was conducted in 2017 that Johnson was found to be the victim of a gay-hate attack, with the state coroner criticising the initial investigation as rushed and inadequate.

At the time, his siblings called on police to launch a homicide investigation into their brother’s death, saying their enduring belief in his murder had been finally vindicated. Police offered a $1m reward for information in 2018.

White, 51, emerged as a key suspect after police were approached by his ­ex-wife Helen. He was arrested and charged in May 2020.

During the trial, Mrs White revealed the couple first discussed Johnson’s death after she read about it in the newspapers.

“I remember asking him if this was one of the gay men that he’d bashed and he said, ‘oh that girly looking poofter’,” she said.

“He quite often bragged about bashing poofters.”

In January, White changed his plea submission during a pre-trial hearing, declaring his guilt.

He was given a reduced sentence based on his admission of guilt, cognitive impairment and dysfunctional upbringing.