The Backpacker Murders: Ivan MIlat

Ivan Robert Marko Milat (27 December 1944 – 27 October 2019) was an Australian serial killer who was convicted of the backpacker murders in 1996.

Early life

Ivan Milat was the son of a Croatian immigrant, Stjepan Marko "Steven" Milat (1902–1983), and an Australian, Margaret Elizabeth Piddleston (1920–2001), who married when she was 16.  Milat was the fifth-born of their 14 children.  Many of the 10 Milat boys were well known to local police, and Milat displayed antisocial behavior at a young age, leading to a stint in a residential school at age 13.  By 17, he was in a juvenile detention center for theft, and at 19, he was involved in a shop break-in.  In 1964, he was sentenced to 18 months for a break and enter, and a month after release, he was arrested for driving a stolen car and was sentenced to 2 years hard labor.  In September 1967, aged 23, he was sentenced to 3 years for theft.  In April 1971, he was charged with the abduction of two 18-year-old hitchhikers and the rape of one of them.  While awaiting trial, he was involved in a string of robberies with some of his brothers, before faking his suicide and fleeing to New Zealand for a year.  He was rearrested in 1974, but the robbery and kidnap cases against him failed at trial with the help of the Milat's family lawyer, John Marsden. He took on a job as a truck driver in 1975, and by the time of the Belanglo State Forest crimes, Milat had worked on and off for 20 years for the Roads & Traffic Authority all over the state.

Backpacker murders

By the time of the first Belanglo State Forest discoveries, several backpackers had been reported missing. One case involved a young Victorian couple from Frankston, Deborah Everist (19) and James Gibson (19), who had been missing since leaving Sydney for ConFest, near Albury, on 30 December 1989.  Another related to Simone Schmidl (21), from Germany, who had been missing since leaving Sydney for Melbourne on 20 January 1991.  Similarly, a German couple, Gabor Neugebauer (21) and Anja Habschied (20), had disappeared after leaving a Kings Cross hostel for Mildura on 26 December 1991. Another involved missing British backpackers Caroline Clarke (21) and Joanne Walters (22), who was last seen in Kings Cross on 18 April 1992.

Discovery of victims

On 19 September 1992, two runners discovered a concealed corpse while orienteering in Belanglo.  The following morning, police discovered a second body 30 meters (98 ft) from the first.  Police quickly confirmed, via dental records, that the bodies were those of Clarke and Walters.  A search of the area failed to uncover any of the other missing backpackers.

In October 1993, however, a local man searching for firewood discovered bones in a particularly remote section of the forest. He returned with police to the scene where two bodies were quickly discovered and later identified as Gibson and Everist. The presence of Gibson's body in Belanglo puzzled investigators as his camera and backpack had previously been discovered at Galston Gorge, over 120 kilometers (75 mi) to the north.

On 1 November 1993, a skeleton was found in a clearing along a fire trail in the forest during a police sweep.  It was later identified as that of Schmidl.  Clothing found at the scene was not Schmidl's but matched that of another missing backpacker, Habschied.   On 4 November 1993, the bodies of Habschied and Neugebauer were then found on a nearby fire trail in shallow graves 50 meters (160 ft) apart.

Search for a serial killer

Examination of the remains showed evidence that some of the victims had been tortured and did not die instantly from their injuries.  In response, on 14 October 1993, Task Force Air, containing more than 20 detectives and analysts were set up by the NSW Police.  On 5 November 1993, the NSW government increased the reward in relation to the killings to $500,000.  After developing their profile of the killer, the police faced an enormous volume of data from numerous sources.   Investigators applied link analysis technology, and as a result, the list of suspects was narrowed from a shortlist of 230 to an even shorter list of 32.   Speculation arose that the crimes where the work of several killers,  given that most of the victims had been attacked while as pairs, had been killed in different ways, and buried separately.

On 13 November 1993, police received a call from Paul Onions (24) in the U.K. On 25 January 1990, Onions had been backpacking in Australia and, while hitchhiking from Liverpool station towards Mildura had accepted a ride south out of Casula from a man known only as "Bill".  South of the town of Mittagong, and less than 1 km from Belanglo State Forest, Bill stopped and pulled out a revolver and some ropes stating it was a robbery, at which point Onions managed to flee.  Onions flagged down a passing motorist, and together they described the assailant and his vehicle to the Bowral police.  On 13 April 1994, detectives re-found the note regarding Onions' call. Onions' statement was corroborated by Berry, along with the girlfriend of a man who worked with Milat.

Arrest and trial

On 26 February 1994, police surveillance of the Milat house at Cinnabar Street, Eagle Vale commenced. Police learned that Milat had recently sold his silver Nissan Patrol four-wheel drive shortly after the discovery of the bodies of Clarke and Walters.  Police also confirmed that Milat had not been working on any of the days of the attacks and acquaintances also told police about Milat's obsession with weapons.  When the connection between the Belanglo murders and Onions' experience was made, Onions flew to Australia to help with the investigation.  On 5 May 1994, Onions positively identified Milat as the man who had picked him up and attempted to assault him.

Milat was arrested at his home on 22 May 1994 on robbery and weapon charges related to the Onions attack after 50 police officers surrounded the house.  The search of Milat's home revealed various weapons, including a .22-calibre Anschütz Model 1441/42 rifle and parts of a .22 caliber Ruger 10/22 rifle that matched the type used in the murders, a Browning pistol, and a Bowie knife.  Also uncovered were items belonging to several of his victims.  Homes belonging to his mother and five of his brothers were also searched, uncovering several more items belonging to the victims.

Milat appeared in court on 23 May, but he did not enter a plea.  On 31 May, Milat was also charged with the seven backpacker murders.  On 28 June, Milat sacked his defense lawyer, Marsden, and sought legal aid to pay for his defense.  Meanwhile, brothers Richard and Walter were tried in relation to weapons, drugs and stolen items found on their properties.  A committal hearing for Milat regarding the murders began on 24 October and lasted until 12 December, during which over 200 witnesses appeared.  Based on the evidence, at the beginning of February 1995, Milat was remanded in custody until June that same year.

On 26 March 1996, the trial opened at the Supreme Court of New South Wales and was prosecuted by Mark Tedeschi.  His defense argued that, in spite of the evidence, there was no non-circumstantial proof Milat was guilty and attempted to shift the blame to other members of his family, particularly Richard.  145 witnesses took the stand, including members of the Milat family who endeavored to provide alibis, and, on 18 June, Milat himself.   On 27 July 1996, after 18 weeks of testimony, a jury found Milat guilty of the murders.  He was given a life sentence on each count without the possibility of parole. He was also convicted of the attempted murder, false imprisonment and robbery of Onions, for which he received six years' jail each.

Incarceration and appeals

On his first day, when arriving at Maitland Gaol, Milat was beaten by another inmate.  Almost a year later, on 16 May 1997, he made an escape attempt alongside convicted drug dealer and former Sydney councilor George Savvas.  The plan failed and Savvas was found hanged in his cell the next day, and Milat was transferred to the maximum-security section at Goulburn Correctional Centre in Goulburn, New South Wales.

In November 1997, Milat appealed against his convictions due to a breach of his common-law right to legal representation, as established in Dietrich v The Queen. However, the New South Wales Court of Criminal Appeal dismissed the appeal.  In 2004, Milat filed an application with the High Court of Australia that he be allowed special leave to appeal on new grounds. The application for leave was ultimately dismissed, affirming the Court of Criminal Appeal's decision to disallow his initial appeal.  On 27 October 2005, in the NSW Supreme Court Milat's final avenue of appeal was refused.  In 2006, two other application attempts were rejected as well, as was one in November 2011.

In 2001, following the opening of the High-Risk Management Corrections Centre (Supermax) at Goulburn Correctional Centre, Milat was transferred from the maximum security section of the prison into one of its 45 new units.  In 2006, a toaster and TV given to Milat in his cell caused a public outcry.

Health and death

On 26 January 2009, Milat cut off his little finger with a plastic knife, with the intention of mailing it to the High Court of Australia to force an appeal.  He was taken to Goulburn Base Hospital under high security; however, on 27 January 2009 Milat was returned to prison after doctors decided surgery was not possible.  Milat had previously self-harmed in 2001 when he swallowed razor blades, staples, and other metal objects.  In May 2011, Milat went on a 9-day hunger strike, losing 25 kilograms in an unsuccessful attempt to be given a PlayStation.

In May 2019, Milat was transferred to the Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, and was subsequently diagnosed with terminal esophageal cancer. Following his treatment, he was transferred to the Long Bay Correctional Centre to continue his custodial sentences. On 9 August 2019, a terminally ill Milat was moved to a secure treatment unit located at the Prince of Wales Hospital following the loss of 20 kilograms in previous weeks; Milat was also exhibiting a high temperature. His status, however, was reported as not life-threatening.  On 27 October 2019, Milat died from esophagus and stomach cancer at 4:07 a.m. within the hospital wing at Long Bay Correctional Centre. He was 74 years old.

Prior to his death, Milat wrote a letter to his family requesting that his funeral be paid for by the New South Wales Government. The request was denied by NSW Corrections Minister Anthony Roberts. Instead, Milat's body was cremated with the full reimbursement of costs to be paid from his prison account.

Other developments

On 8 November 2004, Milat gave a televised interview on Australian Story, in which he denied that any of his family had been implicated in the seven murders. A miniseries on the Seven Network, Catching Milat, screened in 2015 and focused on the members of "Task Force Air" who tracked Milat.  A book by Milat's nephew, Alistair Shipsey, The Milat Letters (ISBN 1785547844) was released in 2016; In December 2018, Australian author Amanda Howard was writing a book on his crimes, based on her correspondence with Milat.

In 2012, Milat's great-nephew Matthew Milat and his friend Cohen Klein (both aged 19 at the time of their sentencing) was sentenced to 43 years and 32 years in prison, respectively, for murdering David Auchterlonie on his 17th birthday with an ax at the Belanglo State Forest in November 2010. Matthew Milat struck Auchterlonie with the double-headed ax as Klein audio-recorded the attack with a mobile phone.

In May 2015, Milat's brother Boris Milat told Steve Aperen, a former homicide detective who serves as a consultant with the Los Angeles Police Department and the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, that Milat was responsible for another shooting: that of taxi cab driver Neville Knight, in 1962 after Milat admitted to the crime. After conducting polygraph tests with Boris Milat and Allan Dillon, the man convicted of Knight's shooting, Aperen is convinced that Milat did in fact shoot Knight.

Personal life

In 1975, Milat met a 16-year-old girl who was pregnant by his cousin. They married in 1983, making him stepfather to her son, and they had one daughter of their own.  However, she left him in 1987 due to domestic violence and they divorced in October 1989.