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Bevan Spencer von Einem, a notorious figure in South Australian criminal history, has passed away at the age of 79. He was serving a life sentence for murder when he died.
South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas confirmed von Einem’s death earlier today. Von Einem was infamous for the murder of Richard Kelvin, the 15-year-old son of Rob Kelvin, a former news presenter for Adelaide’s Nine News. This tragic event occurred in 1983, leaving a lasting impact on the community.
Beyond this conviction, von Einem was suspected of being involved in the murders of several others, including Alan Barnes, Peter Stojanov, Neil Muir, and Mark Langley. These suspicions have long haunted the cases, shrouding them in mystery and raising unresolved questions.
Von Einem’s suspected criminal activities were believed to be connected to a shadowy group known as “The Family.” Despite these suspicions and ongoing investigations, no additional charges have ever been brought against anyone else in connection with the group.
The 79-year-old was suspected of committing his heinous crimes with others in a group known as “The Family”, but no one has ever been charged.
In a statement posted to X, Malinauskas has said ”his death does nothing to erase the murder and torture he inflicted on innocent lives”.
The Department for Correctional Services has advised me of the death of Bevan Spencer Von Einem.
His death marks the end of a life defined by calculated brutality. His crimes stand among the most horrific ever committed in South Australia, acts of deliberate cruelty that destroyed lives and inflicted trauma that will echo for generations.
Convicted of murdering teenager Richard Kelvin and long suspected of further horrific murders, he leaves behind a legacy of devastation for victims’ families that can never be undone.
Most unforgivably, he refused to co-operate with South Australia Police. He had every opportunity to assist investigators, to confirm what so many long believed, that he was responsible for the murder of other young men and to help bring other perpetrators to justice.
Instead, he chose silence, callous, deliberate silence, denying victims’ families even the faintest chance of closure. His decision to take critical information to the grave is an act of cruelty in its own right.
His death does nothing to erase the murder and torture he inflicted on innocent lives, nor does it ease the anger and grief carried by the families of his victims whose lives were shattered by his actions.
The greatest tragedy is that they may never know the full truth because of his deliberate and selfish silence.
Today, my thoughts are with the families of his victims. Their strength in the face of unimaginable suffering deserves our deepest respect and support.