‘Bodies in the barrels’ murderer James Spyridon Vlassakis’ bid for release to be considered by SA Parole Board on August 5
He’s been a prosecution witness, a 20-year state secret and a movie character – now an infamous killer’s decades behind bars may be coming to an end.
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A decision on parole for one of the “bodies in the barrels” killers could be made as early as next month, while the man who covered them up “hasn’t set a foot wrong” since his release.
The Advertiser can report James Spyridon Vlassakis’ bid for release will be considered by the Parole Board at its August 5 meeting.
On Monday, Parole Board chair Frances Nelson said Vlassakis had been interviewed annually, as required by law, and again recently after he lodged his application.
“I can’t guarantee we will make a decision, one way or another, that day (August 5) but I think it’s likely,” she said.
“His institutional behaviour has been very good … he did give evidence against the other two perpetrators, which was quite brave, really.
“We have asked the Department for Correctional Services to give us what I call a through-care plan.
“That report considers, if we were to parole him – and there’s no guarantee about that – how might he best be resocialised, because he has been in prison for a very long time.”
Vlassakis, who will turn 46 in December, pleaded guilty to committing four murders and, in 2002, received a life sentence with a 26-year non-parole period, backdated to his arrest.
His victims included his half-brother Troy Youde, who was also tortured, and his stepbrother David Johnson, who was the only of the victims in the serial killings to be murdered in Snowtown.
Following his guilty pleas, Vlassakis gave evidence at trial that helped convict fellow murderers John Justin Bunting and Robert Joe Wagner.
Images of Vlassakis have been suppressed ever since and details about his imprisonment have been closely-guarded secrets for more than 20 years.
The Advertiser understands it is highly unlikely those suppression orders will ever be revoked by the Supreme Court, given ongoing concerns regarding Vlassakis’ safety.
In 2009, Vlassakis made headlines for applying to marry his childhood sweetheart, Bianca Roberts, in a prison-yard wedding.
SA’s then-Correctional Services minister, Tom Koutsantonis, publicly vowed such a wedding would “not happen under my watch”.
He told parliament only low-security prisoners were eligible to marry, and Vlassakis did not qualify.
“Prisoner Vlassakis committed some hideous crimes … marriage is a very important institution,” he said.
In 2011, writer Shaun Grant and director Justin Kurzel released the film “Snowtown”, which purported to tell the story of the murders from Vlassakis’ perspective.
The film won multiple awards, including for actor Daniel Henshall’s portrayal of Bunting – the ringleader of the killing spree.
Bunting and Wagner, convicted of 11 and 10 murders respectively, were found guilty at trial and sentenced to life without parole.
In 2019, Wagner asked the Supreme Court to set a non-parole period for him – a request that was rejected in just 10 seconds.
In 2024, Mark Ray Haydon – who covered up the murders – was released on parole ahead of the expiration of his 25-year sentence.
He is currently subject to 27 strict conditions on his freedom as part of an 18-month extended supervision order.
On Monday, Ms Nelson said Haydon’s progress continued to be closely monitored.
“He hasn’t set a foot wrong,” she said.
On Monday, a state government spokeswoman said the decision on Vlassakis was one to be made by the Parole Board, which was independent of legislators.
She said Vlassakis’ case was different to that of Haydon.
“James Vlassakis is a life-sentenced prisoner, and had a non-parole period of 26 years,” she said.
“Should the Parole Board determine to grant Vlassakis parole, he may be released into the community but will remain a life-sentenced offender … this means he will be subject to conditions of parole for the rest of his life.
“Mark Haydon was not subject to a life sentence – therefore, to ensure monitoring conditions were in place after his release, the state government applied for an extended supervision order, which was imposed by the Supreme Court in May.”
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Originally published as ‘Bodies in the barrels’ murderer James Spyridon Vlassakis’ bid for release to be considered by SA Parole Board on August 5
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