Most intriguing unsolved non-JtR serial killer cases

[sdreid]

It wasn't a serial killer though, unless I missed something.

[Harry D]

It wasn't a serial killer though, unless I missed something.

Aye, I just didn't think it merited its own thread.

[sdreid]

Aye, I just didn't think it merited its own thread.

No problem.

[sdreid]

I happened upon the Kingfish Boat Ramp Murders t'other day.

I have it at #601 on my top 1000 list.

[sdreid]

I have it at #601 on my top 1000 list.

It's one of those cases where we seem to know about everything except the name of the killer.

[John G]

I have it at #601 on my top 1000 list.

Where would you rate the Beaumont Children Disappearance? I find this an extremely intriguing mystery- particularly as it took place in broad daylight and the perpetrator may have been "grooming the victims for some time- with no obvious suspects. It may link in with other cases, including the Adelaide Oval abduction. Of course, the child serial killer, Bevan Von Einem, has been referred to as a strong suspect.

[sdreid]

I have the Beaumont Children Disappearance at #47 John.

[Harry D]

Where would you rate the Beaumont Children Disappearance? I find this an extremely intriguing mystery- particularly as it took place in broad daylight and the perpetrator may have been "grooming the victims for some time- with no obvious suspects. It may link in with other cases, including the Adelaide Oval abduction. Of course, the child serial killer, Bevan Von Einem, has been referred to as a strong suspect.

I wonder if this was your average child murderer. It's quite rare for three children to be abducted at once. Even if he had been grooming them and gained their trust, kids that age are a handful to keep under control at the best of times. There was a witness who came forward several months after the fact and reported that she'd seen a man with two girls and a boy entering an abandoned house. At one point the little boy was seen wandering off by himself only for the man to come out and forcibly retrieve him. Of course we don't know how reliable this eyewitness was.

It could've been that this guy was procuring the children for a paedophile ring. There was apparently a VIP abuse ring going on in Australia around the time the children were kidnapped, although the victims were mainly teenage boys.

[John G]

I wonder if this was your average child murderer. It's quite rare for three children to be abducted at once. Even if he had been grooming them and gained their trust, kids that age are a handful to keep under control at the best of times. There was a witness who came forward several months after the fact and reported that she'd seen a man with two girls and a boy entering an abandoned house. At one point the little boy was seen wandering off by himself only for the man to come out and forcibly retrieve him. Of course we don't know how reliable this eyewitness was.

It could've been that this guy was procuring the children for a paedophile ring. There was apparently a VIP abuse ring going on in Australia around the time the children were kidnapped, although the victims were mainly teenage boys.

Hi Harry,

I agree that this is a very strange case. I do think that the suspect had probably met the children before, and could have been grooming them. What is strange is that their mother described the children as shy and stated that they would never go off with a stranger. However, witnesses describe them as initiating play with the blonde-haired suspect and they even allowed him to help dress them- their mother later stated that she couldn't understand how the older girl would allow that as she was particularly shy.

This argument is also supported by the fact that the man appears to have given the children money to buy cakes, suggesting that he had won their trust and confidence. Moreover, in a chance remark at home one of the children stated that the older girl "got a boyfriend down the beach."

However, I would have to agree that a triple abduction would be extremely rare as well as risky. It is also odd that an abductor would spend so much time with the children in such a public place, in full view of lots of potential witnesses, especially if he'd been grooming them over a period of time in the same busy location. That would surely be the case even if he was acting on behalf of a paedophile gang. Nonetheless, the time period ,1966, should be taken into account: there would be no CCTV cameras and people were perhaps far more trusting, even of strangers, in those days. Children were also mote deferential towards adults, and therefore might be more compliant, even if the man became less friendly, even threatening.

Another problem is the lack of viable suspects, despite the man's distinctive appearance. The witness you refer to seems highly unreliable- she came forward several months after the children went missing, despite the media coverage. She couldn't subsequently explain why it had taken her so long, suggesting to me that she was a publicity seeker.

Other suspects include Derek Percy, but he was only 17 at the time- the blonde man seen by witnesses was estimated to be 35-40. Bevan Von Einem, who I referred to in my previous post, was only 21, so he also seems to be ruled out on age grounds. He also seems to be the wrong demographic as he targeted only boys.

[Harry D]

Hello, John.

However, I would have to agree that a triple abduction would be extremely rare as well as risky. It is also odd that an abductor would spend so much time with the children in such a public place, in full view of lots of potential witnesses, especially if he'd been grooming them over a period of time in the same busy location.

Of course, we don't know for certain that the man seen playing with them at the beach was the kidnapper. Heck, he could've been just a genuine guy who befriended the children, the type of person who would rightly or wrongly being viewed with instant suspicion in modern society. Then we get into why didn't this man come forward if he was innocent, but then would you in that scenario?

The postman said he saw the kids walking home from the beach. If he wasn't getting his days mixed up, either the man at the beach wasn't the abductor OR perhaps to avoid this suspicion he waited until the kids left the beach by themselves and then pulled up alongside them in his car and offered them a ride?

[John G]

Hello, John.



Of course, we don't know for certain that the man seen playing with them at the beach was the kidnapper. Heck, he could've been just a genuine guy who befriended the children, the type of person who would rightly or wrongly being viewed with instant suspicion in modern society. Then we get into why didn't this man come forward if he was innocent, but then would you in that scenario?

The postman said he saw the kids walking home from the beach. If he wasn't getting his days mixed up, either the man at the beach wasn't the abductor OR perhaps to avoid this suspicion he waited until the kids left the beach by themselves and then pulled up alongside them in his car and offered them a ride?

Hello, Harry,

Some witness statements are certainly confusing. Thus, I believe the children were expected to take the 12:00pm bus home, although I understand their mother had told them not to be home later than 2:00pm. This creates some problems, for instance, they were seen happily buying cakes as late as 11:45am.

Other witnesses state that at 12:00pm the blonde suspect, who the children were trailing, approached them claiming he'd lost some money and asked if they'd seen anyone messing about with his clothing. He was then observed helping to dress the children before, at 12:15, walking off with them and disappearing behind the Gleneig Hotel.

Now I would speculate that the missing money could have been a diversion, i.e. to ensure that the children missed their bus. This would have afforded him the opportunity to offer them a lift home-perhaps his vehicle was parked in the hotel car park- to ensure they wouldn't get into trouble for being late.

As you suggest there were other possible sightings. At 1:45 a man claimed to see a similar looking suspect leave the beach with three children. However, this may not have been a reliable sighting: the man was said to have light brown hair rather than blonde. And if it was the same man with the children, where had they been for the last hour and half, during which there were no other sighting?

On the face of it the postman seems to be a more reliable witness as he at least new the children. He claimed initially to have spotted them either at the beginning of his round, at 1:45pm, or at the end at 2:55. He also noted they were alone. The earlier time might just fit, as they could have been going to catch the 2:00pm bus. The problem is that this leaves little time- just 15 minutes- for another abductor to come along and seize the children unobserved. It also fails to explain where the children had been since the 12:15 sighting.

However, he subsequently insisted that he'd seen them at the later time, 2:55 pm. This makes no sense at all as they would have been about an hour late by this time, thereby clearly undermining his testimony. Moreover, he said that they didn't seem to be distressed or hurrying. And, again, where were they in the intervening period during which there were no sightings? This is particularly problematical if you consider that a blonde haired man with three young children in tow would surely stand out on a busy beach.

I also understand that research by the author, Alan Whiticker, who has written a book on the subject, has revealed that the police concluded that he saw the children in the morning at 10:15am, after they left the bus. Interestingly, I've also read that Whiticker's book claims that the police concluded that the suspects blue swimming trunks had a white stripe down each leg which, apparently, were the colours of Henley Beach Surf Lifesaving Club.

[Rosella]

I've wondered about the tragic Beaumont mystery for years, ever since I came to Australia in 1970, really. After the fair-haired man lured them away and gave them money to buy food I think he probably put them in his nearby car and promised to take them home after he'd taken them to his place for a while. I believe they were disposed of very quickly. There were parts of Adelaide that were still quite semi-rural in the 1960's and I think they were killed and buried on a property somewhere.

There was supposed to have been a paedophile ring operating in Adelaide in the 1960's but I've always wondered whether the same perpetrator grabbed Young Joanne Ratcliffe and little Kirste Gordon from the Adalaide Oval in 1973. That's another disturbing abduction that's never been solved.

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/excavation-in-south-australias-midnorth-for-clues-to-1973-abduction-of-joanne-ratcliffe-and-kirste-gordon-from-adelaide-oval/story-fni6uo1m-1227061951515

[GUT]

I've wondered about the tragic Beaumont mystery for years, ever since I came to Australia in 1970, really. After the fair-haired man lured them away and gave them money to buy food I think he probably put them in his nearby car and promised to take them home after he'd taken them to his place for a while. I believe they were disposed of very quickly. There were parts of Adelaide that were still quite semi-rural in the 1960's and I think they were killed and buried on a property somewhere.

There was supposed to have been a paedophile ring operating in Adelaide in the 1960's but I've always wondered whether the same perpetrator grabbed Young Joanne Ratcliffe and little Kirste Gordon from the Adalaide Oval in 1973. That's another disturbing abduction that's never been solved.

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/s...-1227061951515

Gordon and Ratcliffe are even more of a puzzle due to their ages.

[GUT]

Though maybe I'm thinking of the wrong ones, but wasn't Gordon 12 or 13?

[Rosella]

Joanne was eleven and Kirste four. The last that was seen of them was a sighting by a young passerby who saw the man holding Kirste in his arms going along the street and Joanne grabbing his jacket and trying to kick his legs.

It was a dreadful case and I believe Kirste's father never recovered, dying prematurely some years later. Although Joanne was a responsible little girl I don't think any grandparent nowadays would allow a child of that age to take a four year old to the toilet alone at a packed stadium. Apparently there was a sighting of them earlier looking under a shed at the back of the stadium at a kitten hidden there.