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John Bunting (serial killer)
Encyclopedia
John Justin Bunting is an Australian serial killer
from Brisbane
, Queensland
, currently serving eleven consecutive sentences of life imprisonment
without the possibility of parole for his role in the murder of 11 victims of the Snowtown murders
.
Bunting was the ringleader of a "degenerate sub-culture" of murderers whose victims were people they already knew. Under the instruction of Bunting, the group would prey upon the weak and steal their welfare
payments. His crimes led to the longest and most expensive investigations and criminal trials in South Australia's history.
Bunting's targets consisted primarily of people he thought to be paedophiles, and homosexuals. He has been described as a skilled manipulator of people and "Australia's worst serial killer".
Bunting lived in Murray Bridge, South Australia
from November 1991, living on Lohman Street until he moved to Burdekin Avenue in May 1997 where he remained until September 1998. Two of his victims were found in the backyard of his former home in Waterloo Corner Road, Salisbury North, a northern suburb of Adelaide, with the remaining eight discovered in a vault
of a disused bank rented by Bunting and Mark Haydon in Snowtown, South Australia
, 140 km north of Adelaide. Bunting insisted on playing the 1994 Live
album Throwing Copper
during many of his later murders.
him at the age of 13. Bunting replied by suggesting that Youde be bashed.
Vlassakis later gave evidence against Bunting, Wagner, and Haydon at their criminal trials. Elizabeth Harvey has since died of cancer
.
Trezise's murder remained unsolved for some time and in 1997 he was the subject of two episodes of the Australian television show Australia's Most Wanted
. Bunting watched an episode of the show with Vlassakis and his mother. Bunting boasted to Vlassakis, "That's my handiwork" and revealed to Vlassakis that he had murdered Trezise while living at Waterloo Corner Road, Salisbury, and that he disposed of Trezise's body in Lower Light with Wagner and Lane's assistance.
behind the house of Suzanne Allen in Salisbury North
. Davies, a former lover of Allen, became a target for murder after Allen accused him of making sexual advances to her grandsons.
Davies was murdered by Bunting and Wagner in December 1995 and was never reported missing. Bunting and Wagner were later seen cleaning Davies' caravan. They moved it to a house in nearby Elizabeth
, where it was painted and sold two months after Davies' murder. Bunting continued to claim Davies' welfare payments.
Davies' body was later recovered by police buried in the backyard at the former home of Bunting in Waterloo Corner Road, Salisbury North.
gay
man murdered by Bunting and Wagner in August 1997. Gardiner shared a house with friends nearby.
Robert Wagner did not like Gardiner due to his open homosexuality.
After Gardiner's murder, Bunting had Frederick Brooks call friends of Gardiner and impersonate him. Brooks demanded from them belongings such as Gardiner's wallet, saying Gardiner required it for identification purposes. Bunting wanted it to gain access to Gardiner's personal funds.
His body was found by police stored in one of six drums in the bank vault in Snowtown. The body of Barry Lane was also located in the same barrel. One of Gardiner's feet had been removed so the lid of the drum could be closed.
. Lane had previously been in a relationship with Robert Wagner from 1985 until 1996. The pair shared a house in Bingham Road, Salisbury North near the home of Bunting. Lane's relationship with Wagner began when Wagner was 13. He was last seen alive in October 1997.
Bunting often referred to Lane as being "dirty" and as a pedophile. On the day of his murder, Lane was forced by Bunting to call his mother; he told her he would be moving to Queensland
and that he wanted nothing further to do with her.
Bunting had also learned of Lane telling others about the earlier murder of Clinton Tresize. Lane had assisted Bunting to conceal Tresize's body. After Lane's murder, Bunting assumed control of Lane's vehicle and claimed his welfare payments. Thomas Trevilyan was also involved in the murder of Lane. It was alleged Bunting only associated with Lane to gain further information about paedophiles in the area.
s and wore only army style clothing. He would at times run outside his house with a knife if he heard unfamiliar noises, and was known to regularly travel long distances on foot. He shared a house with Barry Lane for a period of five months from April to October 1997. Trevilyan had assisted Bunting and Wagner in the earlier murder of Barry Lane. Bunting murdered Trevilyan after finding out he told others of his involvement in Lane's murder.
Bunting told others that Trevilyan had started to "fuck up" and "go mental" and that he would be a risk. Trevilyan was driven to Kersbrook
in the Adelaide Hills
by Bunting and Wagner. He was forced to stand on a box while a noose
was fastened around his neck and the box kicked from under him.
Trevilyan's body was found on 5 November 1997. Police initially treated Trevilyan's death as a suicide
.
. He moved into the house shared by Bunting and Vlassakis in 1998. Bunting referred to Porter, a heroin addict, as a "waste" who no longer deserved to live. Bunting was angered after being pricked by a used syringe discarded by Porter on the sofa. Porter was murdered by Bunting and Wagner while sleeping in his car in the driveway of Bunting's house after working on his car. Porter's body was stored in a barrel before being moved to Snowtown.
Brooks' body was moved to a car which was later collected by Mark Haydon. The body was later located by police in the disused bank vault in Snowtown. Mark Haydon continued to access the welfare payments of Brooks.
. His disabilities arose from a car accident earlier in life. Bunting had Vlassakis learn personal information about O'Dwyer and whether he had any family. O'Dwyer was seen by Bunting as an easy target and murdered so Bunting could gain from O'Dwyer's welfare payments.
O'Dwyer's body was found by police in the bank vault in Snowtown. His body showed evidence of burn marks which were inflicted by using a variac machine to apply electric shock
s.
Elizabeth was murdered on 20 November 1998 while Haydon and Elliot were away from the house. Elizabeth was reported missing by her brother Garion Sinclair to police at 3pm the following day. Haydon would later assist in concealing his wife's murder.
Police inquiries into Elizabeth Haydon's disappearance led them to the disused bank in Snowtown, which eventually led to the discovery of eight bodies stored in a vault, including that of Elizabeth Haydon. Police later arrested Bunting, Wagner, Vlassakis, and Elizabeth's husband, Mark Haydon for the murders.
Vlassakis had earlier told Johnson about a computer for sale near Clare, South Australia
. Vlassakis drove him to Snowtown to ostensibly look at this computer.
Shortly after Johnson entered the bank building, he was grabbed by Wagner around the throat and strangled. Wagner then applied handcuffs to Johnson and he was forced by Bunting to read a script Bunting had earlier prepared, as well as provide his bank account PIN. Johnson's voice was recorded on a computer equipped with a microphone.
Wagner and Vlassakis drove to Port Wakefield and attempted to access Johnson's bank account, leaving Bunting and Haydon with Johnson in the disused bank. Wagner and Vlassakis were unsuccessful in withdrawing funds from Johnson's account. When they returned to Snowtown, Johnson was dead.
Bunting and Wagner dismembered Johnson's body, then fried and ate parts of his flesh.
Johnson was the final murder victim before the group was apprehended.
, wrapped in 11 different plastic bags. Her death was concealed by the accused and they continued to collect her pension, claiming a total of $17,000. They claimed she had died of a heart attack. Murder charges regarding the death of Allen were eventually dropped by the prosecution due to lack of evidence.
announced funding support for 'Snowtown
', a true crime
film based on the murders. The film was to be produced by Warp Films Australia. It would be the first full length feature directed by Justin Kurzel. The film came out in 2011.
Serial killer
A serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification...
from Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, currently serving eleven consecutive sentences of life imprisonment
Life imprisonment
Life imprisonment is a sentence of imprisonment for a serious crime under which the convicted person is to remain in jail for the rest of his or her life...
without the possibility of parole for his role in the murder of 11 victims of the Snowtown murders
Snowtown murders
The Snowtown murders, also known as the Bodies in Barrels murders, were the murders of 11 people in South Australia, Australia between August 1992 and May 1999...
.
Bunting was the ringleader of a "degenerate sub-culture" of murderers whose victims were people they already knew. Under the instruction of Bunting, the group would prey upon the weak and steal their welfare
Welfare
Welfare refers to a broad discourse which may hold certain implications regarding the provision of a minimal level of wellbeing and social support for all citizens without the stigma of charity. This is termed "social solidarity"...
payments. His crimes led to the longest and most expensive investigations and criminal trials in South Australia's history.
Bunting's targets consisted primarily of people he thought to be paedophiles, and homosexuals. He has been described as a skilled manipulator of people and "Australia's worst serial killer".
Bunting lived in Murray Bridge, South Australia
Murray Bridge, South Australia
Murray Bridge is the fourth most populous city in South Australia after Adelaide, Mount Gambier and Whyalla. It is located east-southeast of Adelaide and north of Meningie....
from November 1991, living on Lohman Street until he moved to Burdekin Avenue in May 1997 where he remained until September 1998. Two of his victims were found in the backyard of his former home in Waterloo Corner Road, Salisbury North, a northern suburb of Adelaide, with the remaining eight discovered in a vault
Bank vault
A bank vault is a secure space where money, valuables, records, and documents can be stored. It is intended to protect their contents from theft, unauthorized use, fire, natural disasters, and other threats, just like a safe...
of a disused bank rented by Bunting and Mark Haydon in Snowtown, South Australia
Snowtown, South Australia
The town of Snowtown is located in the Mid North of South Australia 145 km north of Adelaide and lies on the main route between Adelaide and Perth. The town's elevation is 103 metres and on average the town receives 389 mm of rainfall per annum.-History:...
, 140 km north of Adelaide. Bunting insisted on playing the 1994 Live
Live (band)
Live is an American rock band from York, Pennsylvania, composed of Chad Taylor , Patrick Dahlheimer , and Chad Gracey . Lead singer and principal songwriter Ed Kowalczyk left the band in November 2009....
album Throwing Copper
Throwing Copper
-Outtakes and B-sides:*"Hold Me Up"*"Susquehanna"*"We Deal in Dreams" -Album:-End-of-decade charts:-Singles:-Personnel:*Ed Kowalczyk: Vocals, Rhythm Guitar*Chad Taylor: Lead Guitar, Backing Vocal...
during many of his later murders.
Rock spider wall
Bunting had fashioned a "rock spider wall" (paedophile wall) on a wall of a spare room in his house. The chart, created using paper notes and wool, was an interconnected web of names of people Bunting suspected to be paedophiles or homosexuals. At times Bunting would randomly select a name from the wall and call them, insinuating they were paedophiles and "would get what's coming to them".Relationship with James Vlassakis
Bunting was married to Elizabeth Harvey, mother of co-offender James Vlassakis. Bunting spent a lot of time with Vlassakis, assuming the role of a father figure. Bunting regularly communicated to Vlassakis his hatred for paedophiles and homosexuals. Vlassakis confided in Bunting that his half-brother, Troy Youde, had molestedChild sexual abuse
Child sexual abuse is a form of child abuse in which an adult or older adolescent uses a child for sexual stimulation. Forms of child sexual abuse include asking or pressuring a child to engage in sexual activities , indecent exposure with intent to gratify their own sexual desires or to...
him at the age of 13. Bunting replied by suggesting that Youde be bashed.
Vlassakis later gave evidence against Bunting, Wagner, and Haydon at their criminal trials. Elizabeth Harvey has since died of cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
.
Relationship with Robert Wagner
Bunting met Wagner when he moved to Waterloo Corner Road. Wagner was living with Barry Lane at the time; both men assisted Bunting in disposing of the body of his first victim, Clinton Trezise. Wagner later assisted Bunting in the remaining ten murders.Clinton Trezise
Bunting's murder spree began in August 1992, with the murder of Clinton Trezise, 22. Trezise was bashed to death with a shovel in Bunting's living room after being invited inside for a social visit. Bunting accused Tresize of being a paedophile and referred to him in conversations after his murder as "Happy Pants". Trezise was found buried two years after his murder in a shallow grave on 16 August 1994 at Lower Light, South Australia. It was another three years before Bunting murdered again.Trezise's murder remained unsolved for some time and in 1997 he was the subject of two episodes of the Australian television show Australia's Most Wanted
Australia's Most Wanted
Australia's Most Wanted was a television program based on the format made popular by America's Most Wanted. It screened on the Seven Network from 1989 until 1999....
. Bunting watched an episode of the show with Vlassakis and his mother. Bunting boasted to Vlassakis, "That's my handiwork" and revealed to Vlassakis that he had murdered Trezise while living at Waterloo Corner Road, Salisbury, and that he disposed of Trezise's body in Lower Light with Wagner and Lane's assistance.
Ray Davies
Ray Davies was an intellectually disabled man who lived in a caravanTravel trailer
A travel trailer or caravan is towed behind a road vehicle to provide a place to sleep which is more comfortable and protected than a tent . It provides the means for people to have their own home on a journey or a vacation, without relying on a motel or hotel, and enables them to stay in places...
behind the house of Suzanne Allen in Salisbury North
Salisbury, South Australia
Salisbury is a northern suburb in Adelaide, South Australia. It is the seat of the City of Salisbury, and in the South Australian Legislative Assembly electoral district of Ramsay and the Australian House of Representatives divisions of Wakefield and Port Adelaide...
. Davies, a former lover of Allen, became a target for murder after Allen accused him of making sexual advances to her grandsons.
Davies was murdered by Bunting and Wagner in December 1995 and was never reported missing. Bunting and Wagner were later seen cleaning Davies' caravan. They moved it to a house in nearby Elizabeth
Elizabeth, South Australia
Elizabeth is a northern suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. It is located in the City of Playford.-History:Elizabeth was established in 1955 as part of a planned satellite town by the South Australian Housing Trust on rural land between the older towns of Salisbury and...
, where it was painted and sold two months after Davies' murder. Bunting continued to claim Davies' welfare payments.
Davies' body was later recovered by police buried in the backyard at the former home of Bunting in Waterloo Corner Road, Salisbury North.
Michael Gardiner
Michael Gardiner was an openlyComing out
Coming out is a figure of speech for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people's disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity....
gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
man murdered by Bunting and Wagner in August 1997. Gardiner shared a house with friends nearby.
Robert Wagner did not like Gardiner due to his open homosexuality.
After Gardiner's murder, Bunting had Frederick Brooks call friends of Gardiner and impersonate him. Brooks demanded from them belongings such as Gardiner's wallet, saying Gardiner required it for identification purposes. Bunting wanted it to gain access to Gardiner's personal funds.
His body was found by police stored in one of six drums in the bank vault in Snowtown. The body of Barry Lane was also located in the same barrel. One of Gardiner's feet had been removed so the lid of the drum could be closed.
Barry Lane
Lane was an open homosexual and crossdresserCross-dressing
Cross-dressing is the wearing of clothing and other accoutrement commonly associated with a gender within a particular society that is seen as different than the one usually presented by the dresser...
. Lane had previously been in a relationship with Robert Wagner from 1985 until 1996. The pair shared a house in Bingham Road, Salisbury North near the home of Bunting. Lane's relationship with Wagner began when Wagner was 13. He was last seen alive in October 1997.
Bunting often referred to Lane as being "dirty" and as a pedophile. On the day of his murder, Lane was forced by Bunting to call his mother; he told her he would be moving to Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
and that he wanted nothing further to do with her.
Bunting had also learned of Lane telling others about the earlier murder of Clinton Tresize. Lane had assisted Bunting to conceal Tresize's body. After Lane's murder, Bunting assumed control of Lane's vehicle and claimed his welfare payments. Thomas Trevilyan was also involved in the murder of Lane. It was alleged Bunting only associated with Lane to gain further information about paedophiles in the area.
Thomas Trevilyan
Thomas Trevilyan was described as having psychiatric problemMental illness
A mental disorder or mental illness is a psychological or behavioral pattern generally associated with subjective distress or disability that occurs in an individual, and which is not a part of normal development or culture. Such a disorder may consist of a combination of affective, behavioural,...
s and wore only army style clothing. He would at times run outside his house with a knife if he heard unfamiliar noises, and was known to regularly travel long distances on foot. He shared a house with Barry Lane for a period of five months from April to October 1997. Trevilyan had assisted Bunting and Wagner in the earlier murder of Barry Lane. Bunting murdered Trevilyan after finding out he told others of his involvement in Lane's murder.
Bunting told others that Trevilyan had started to "fuck up" and "go mental" and that he would be a risk. Trevilyan was driven to Kersbrook
Kersbrook, South Australia
Kersbrook is a town near Adelaide, South Australia. It is located in the Adelaide Hills Council local government area. At the 2006 census, Kersbrook had a population of 367.-History:...
in the Adelaide Hills
Adelaide Hills
The Adelaide Hills are part of the Mount Lofty Ranges, east of the city of Adelaide in the state of South Australia. It is unofficially centred on the largest town in the area, Mount Barker, which has a population of around 29,000 and is also one of Australia's fastest growing towns.- History :The...
by Bunting and Wagner. He was forced to stand on a box while a noose
Noose
A noose is a loop at the end of a rope in which the knot slides to make the loop collapsible. Knots used for making nooses include the running bowline, the tarbuck knot, and the slip knot.-Use in hanging:...
was fastened around his neck and the box kicked from under him.
Trevilyan's body was found on 5 November 1997. Police initially treated Trevilyan's death as a suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
.
Gavin Porter
Gavin Porter, 31, was a friend of Vlassakis' from VictoriaVictoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
. He moved into the house shared by Bunting and Vlassakis in 1998. Bunting referred to Porter, a heroin addict, as a "waste" who no longer deserved to live. Bunting was angered after being pricked by a used syringe discarded by Porter on the sofa. Porter was murdered by Bunting and Wagner while sleeping in his car in the driveway of Bunting's house after working on his car. Porter's body was stored in a barrel before being moved to Snowtown.
Troy Youde
Troy Youde was a half brother of Vlassakis. Vlassakis had earlier confided to Bunting that Youde had molested him when younger. In August 1998, Bunting, Wagner, Vlassakis, and Haydon visited Youde. Bunting, Wagner and Vlassakis dragged him from his bed and murdered him. Youde's body was dismembered and stored in a barrel and later moved to Snowtown.Frederick Brooks
Frederick Brooks was the intellectually disabled son of Jodie Elliot and nephew of Elizabeth Haydon. He was murdered by Bunting, Wagner, and Vlassakis on 17 September 1998.Brooks' body was moved to a car which was later collected by Mark Haydon. The body was later located by police in the disused bank vault in Snowtown. Mark Haydon continued to access the welfare payments of Brooks.
Gary O'Dwyer
Gary O'Dwyer, 29, was an intellectually disabled man who lived alone in Frances Street, Murray BridgeMurray Bridge, South Australia
Murray Bridge is the fourth most populous city in South Australia after Adelaide, Mount Gambier and Whyalla. It is located east-southeast of Adelaide and north of Meningie....
. His disabilities arose from a car accident earlier in life. Bunting had Vlassakis learn personal information about O'Dwyer and whether he had any family. O'Dwyer was seen by Bunting as an easy target and murdered so Bunting could gain from O'Dwyer's welfare payments.
O'Dwyer's body was found by police in the bank vault in Snowtown. His body showed evidence of burn marks which were inflicted by using a variac machine to apply electric shock
Electric shock
Electric Shock of a body with any source of electricity that causes a sufficient current through the skin, muscles or hair. Typically, the expression is used to denote an unwanted exposure to electricity, hence the effects are considered undesirable....
s.
Elizabeth Haydon
Elizabeth Haydon was the wife of Mark Haydon, and shared a house with him at Blackham Crescent, Smithfield Plains, a northern suburb of Adelaide. Elizabeth's sister, Jodie Elliot, who had a brief relationship with Bunting in 1998, lived at the rear of the Haydons' house. Elizabeth was Bunting and Wagner's second-to-last murder victim and the only female victim.Elizabeth was murdered on 20 November 1998 while Haydon and Elliot were away from the house. Elizabeth was reported missing by her brother Garion Sinclair to police at 3pm the following day. Haydon would later assist in concealing his wife's murder.
Police inquiries into Elizabeth Haydon's disappearance led them to the disused bank in Snowtown, which eventually led to the discovery of eight bodies stored in a vault, including that of Elizabeth Haydon. Police later arrested Bunting, Wagner, Vlassakis, and Elizabeth's husband, Mark Haydon for the murders.
David Johnson
Johnson was lured to the disused bank in Snowtown by his stepbrother, James Vlassakis, on 9 May 1999. Johnson was not homosexual, but Bunting would often refer to him as a "faggot" and say he needed to die.Vlassakis had earlier told Johnson about a computer for sale near Clare, South Australia
Clare, South Australia
The town of Clare is located in South Australia in the Mid North region, 136 km north of Adelaide. It gives its name to the Clare Valley wine and tourist region.-History:One of the first settlers in the area was John Horrocks, in 1839...
. Vlassakis drove him to Snowtown to ostensibly look at this computer.
Shortly after Johnson entered the bank building, he was grabbed by Wagner around the throat and strangled. Wagner then applied handcuffs to Johnson and he was forced by Bunting to read a script Bunting had earlier prepared, as well as provide his bank account PIN. Johnson's voice was recorded on a computer equipped with a microphone.
Wagner and Vlassakis drove to Port Wakefield and attempted to access Johnson's bank account, leaving Bunting and Haydon with Johnson in the disused bank. Wagner and Vlassakis were unsuccessful in withdrawing funds from Johnson's account. When they returned to Snowtown, Johnson was dead.
Bunting and Wagner dismembered Johnson's body, then fried and ate parts of his flesh.
Johnson was the final murder victim before the group was apprehended.
Criminal trial
Bunting was tried together with Robert Wagner. On 8 September 2003, Bunting was found guilty and convicted on 11 counts of murder. He was Australia's most prolific serial killer.Suzanne Allen
The remains of Suzanne Allen were found buried at Bunting's house at Salisbury NorthSalisbury, South Australia
Salisbury is a northern suburb in Adelaide, South Australia. It is the seat of the City of Salisbury, and in the South Australian Legislative Assembly electoral district of Ramsay and the Australian House of Representatives divisions of Wakefield and Port Adelaide...
, wrapped in 11 different plastic bags. Her death was concealed by the accused and they continued to collect her pension, claiming a total of $17,000. They claimed she had died of a heart attack. Murder charges regarding the death of Allen were eventually dropped by the prosecution due to lack of evidence.
Films inspired by events
In March 2010, Screen AustraliaScreen Australia
Screen Australia is the Federal Government’s key funding body for the Australian screen production industry. Its functions are to support and promote the development of a highly creative, innovative and commercially sustainable industry....
announced funding support for 'Snowtown
Snowtown (film)
Snowtown is 2011 film about the Snowtown murders directed by Justin Kurzel and written by Shaun Grant.Screen Australia announced in March 2010 that they would be funding the film....
', a true crime
True crime
True crime is a non-fiction literary and film genre in which the author examines an actual crime and details the actions of real people.The crimes most commonly include murder, but true crime works have also touched on other legal cases. Depending on the writer, true crime can adhere strictly to...
film based on the murders. The film was to be produced by Warp Films Australia. It would be the first full length feature directed by Justin Kurzel. The film came out in 2011.