Paul Denyer

Paul Denyer
Born Paul Charles Denyer
(1972-04-14) 14 April 1972
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Other names The Frankston Killer
Criminal penalty three terms of life imprisonment with a 30-year non-parole period
Killings
Victims 3
Span of killings
 11 June 1993–30 July 1993
Country Australia
State(s) Victoria
Date apprehended
 31 July 1993

Paul Charles Denyer (born 14 April 1972) is an Australian serial killer, currently serving three consecutive sentences of life imprisonment with a non-parole period 30 years at HM Prison Barwon for the murders of Elizabeth Stevens, 18, Debbie Fream, 22, and Natalie Russell, 17, in Frankston, Victoria, in 1993.[1]

Denyer is known as the "Frankston Killer" as his crimes occurred in Frankston and neighbouring suburbs. Denyer was featured in the pilot episode of Seven Network crime series Forensic Investigators.

Early life

Denyer was born to British immigrant parents, Anthony and Maureen Denyer in Campbelltown, New South Wales, an outer suburb of Sydney. His parents had immigrated to Australia in 1965. In 1981, the family relocated to Victoria.

Denyer reportedly had difficulty fitting in amongst his peers in his new town which led to problems with his self-confidence that was worsened by significant weight gain during his teen years. The abuse Paul suffered at the hands of his father did not help either, or the fact that he would witness many times his own mother being beaten up by his father.

Murders

Denyer stalked and murdered three women in and around the Melbourne suburb of Frankston during a seven-week period in 1993.[1] Denyer was 21 at the time of his crimes. During a police interview Denyer said the motivation for his crimes was a hatred of women in general.[2]

POLICE: Can you explain why we have women victims?
DENYER: I just hate them.
POLICE: I beg your pardon.
DENYER: I hate them all.
POLICE: Those particular girls or women in general?
DENYER: General.

Victims

The first victim was 18-year-old Elizabeth Stevens. She had just alighted from a bus to Langwarrin when she was dragged to nearby Lloyd Park. Her throat was slashed and a criss-cross pattern was carved into her chest.

A month later, the second victim, Deborah Fream, was abducted in the early evening. She had left her car unlocked to run into a store to buy milk. Denyer climbed into the back seat, and hijacked the car after Fream drove from the store. She was taken to Taylor's Road and, like Stevens, her throat was slashed savagely. She had left her 12-day-old baby at home with a friend when she left to buy the milk.

Rosza Toth was attacked by Denyer while walking home from Seaford railway station on the evening of Deborah Fream's abduction. Toth was dragged towards the toilet block. She managed to break free of Denyer's grasp and notified police.

The third and final victim, 17-year-old Natalie Russell, was attacked while walking home early from school. She had taken a short cut home along a bicycle track through a park. She was dragged from the path through a large hole in a wire fence, but put up a huge fight. This made Denyer angry, and he slashed at her head and neck. Russell's death was the most brutal.

Connections with the 1990 disappearance of Sarah MacDiarmid from nearby Kananook railway station were made. MacDiarmid's body has never been found. The only evidence suggesting a crime was a pool of blood next to her car, parked at the station. Denyer denied involvement in MacDiarmid's disappearance.

Similar connections to the murder of Michelle Brown have also been discussed. She was found naked, and her body was too decomposed to examine the injuries.

Sex reassignment requests

Denyer began dressing as a female while imprisoned

Whilst imprisoned, Denyer requested to be allowed to purchase and wear women's cosmetics, which was denied.

Denyer also filed freedom of information requests to learn of the Victorian government's policy on gender reassignment surgery for prisoners and has sought evaluation to determine his suitability for such surgery, which was also rejected by medical specialists.[2]

References

  1. 1 2 "Stop pandering to 'sicko', says Doyle". The Age. 28 June 2004. Retrieved 2008-09-14.
  2. 1 2 Gearin, Mary (1 September 2004). "Murderer's sex change request sparks rights debate". The 7.30 Report. ABC. Retrieved 2008-09-14.

Further reading

I Always Wanted To Kill: Paul Denyer Serial Killer Pamela Valemont Author 21 February 2015 Apple iTunes ISBN 9781326176648 https://itunes.apple.com/au/book/i-always-wanted-to-kill/id967268374?mt=11

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