Bevan Spencer von Einem is the only person to be charged over The Family Murders. He was found guilty of the murder of Richard Kelvin in 1984 and sentenced to a non-parole period of 24 years. Von Einem is still in prison and unlikely to be released. In 1989 he was charged with the murders of Alan Barnes and Mark Langley based on propensity evidence. The star witness, a former friend of von Einem who gave evidence about multiples rapes as well as being with von Einem when they picked up Alan Barnes, did not stand up to scrutiny. The case was not sent to trial.
The sexual sadist was an apex predator who hunted young men that he could drug and rape. He is thought to be responsible for the drugging and raping of over 150 boys and youths, as well as murdering five of them. Von Einem built a network of associates who helped him commit these crimes. Some were exploited by von Einem while others participated to fulfil their sexual desires.
Bevan Spencer von Einem
- Born May 29, 1946
- Age in 1979 – 33
- Convicted of murder of Richard Kelvin
- Lived in Paradise with his Mum during the time at 13/3 Rowney Ave and 7 Day St.
- Worked as an accountant at Pipeline Supplies of Australia which was on South Rd in Regency Park
- In 1990 he was charged with the murders of Alan Barnes and Mark Langley on the basis of evidence provided by co-suspect Mr B. Police dropped the charges because Mr B’s credibility became more and more into question – he was saying BVE was responsible for the Beaumonts and the Adelaide Oval abductions.
- Had a sexual relationship with victim Neil Muir approximately four years before Muir’s death
Predatory Tactics
- According to Mr B, BVE’s favoured place to cruise for hitchhikers was from the cnr of King William St and North Terrace, over the City Bridge, through North Adelaide where King William changes into O’Connell St, and then a right turn up Main North Rd to The Big Scotsman Motel on the corner of Nottage Terrace. He would cruise that route up and down, looking for victims.
- von Einem would pick up hitch hikers and offered them a spiked drink
- Sometimes he would undo his car exhaust or pull his choke out and then pull over and ask a youth for help with his car
- He built relationships with drug addicts such as Neil Muir and the transgenders and supplied them with drugs in exchange for them luring youths and young men
- He used transgenders and cross-dressers to lure young men into his car under the pretence of going to a party
- He used female friends to act as lures