In the outer suburbs of Adelaide in the 1990s, unimaginable horrors were taking place. Eleven people died in what were described as the worst serial murders in Australia.<\/p>\n
Vlassakis pleaded guilty to four of the murders.<\/p>\n
Now aged in his mid-40s, Vlassakis was 18 when, in 1998, he took part in the murder of his half-brother Troy Youde \u2014 a crime he committed at the behest of his stepfather and Snowtown ringleader John Bunting.<\/p>\n
Vlassakis later took part in the murders of Fred Brooks, Gary O’Dwyer and David Johnson.<\/p>\n
The remains of all four of those victims were found at Snowtown.<\/p>\n
Vlassakis was sentenced in 2002 to life imprisonment, with a non-parole period of 26 years from June 2, 1999, when he was taken into custody.<\/p>\n
Because he helped convict his three co-accused by giving evidence against them, his image was \u2014 and remains \u2014 suppressed to protect him.<\/p>\n
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The bodies of eight victims were found in barrels in the disused bank at Snowtown. (ABC News: Che Chorley)<\/p>\n
On Tuesday, Parole Board chair Frances Nelson KC said Vlassakis would not be able to change his name, following his release, unless he had the permission from the chief executive of the Department of Correctional Services.<\/p>\n
“I very much doubt he would get that permission,” she said.<\/p>\n
How did he become involved in the murders?<\/p>\n
Vlassakis became involved in the serial killings through Bunting, who lived with him and his mother in Adelaide’s northern suburbs.<\/p>\n
Ms Nelson said Bunting had Vlassakis in his “thrall”.<\/p>\n
Friend of Snowtown victim speaks out<\/a><\/p>\n Nicole Zuritta’s friend was murdered in one of Australia’s most notorious serial killings, turning her world upside down. Almost three decades on, she wants to reframe the way victims of the Snowtown murders are remembered.\u00a0<\/p>\n “He was drawn into Bunting’s behaviour,” she said.<\/p>\n “He was terrified of Bunting and Bunting took the place of the man of the house when he was 14 years of age and vulnerable.<\/p>\n “I can understand why he was drawn into this man’s thrall \u2014 he wouldn’t be the first one to say he was terrified of Bunting.”<\/p>\n Vlassakis’s role and involvement were detailed in the Snowtown murders movie, which was told from his perspective<\/a>.<\/p>\n The majority of the victims were either family or friends of the four men involved.<\/p>\n Vlassakis was the key witness in the prosecution case against killers John Bunting and Robert Wagner, who were convicted of 11 and 10 murders respectively.<\/p>\n Vlassakis was a key witness in the case against Snowtown co-accused Mark Ray Haydon, Robert Joe Wagner and John Justin Bunting. (Supplied: Tim Ide)<\/p>\n Unlike Bunting and Wagner, who are serving life sentences without the possibility of parole, Vlassakis was given a non-parole period.<\/p>\n “If it had not been for your plea of guilty, your extensive cooperation with the police and your undertaking to give evidence for the prosecution in the forthcoming trial, I would have imposed a non-parole period of 42 years,” Justice Kevin Duggan said in his 2002 sentencing remarks.<\/p>\n “I am satisfied that you have given extensive assistance to the police in this matter and I take into account your undertaking to give evidence.<\/p>\n “Your confinement is likely to be much more restrictive than would otherwise be the case.”<\/p>\n Why has he been granted parole?<\/p>\n Ms Nelson said Vlassakis met the legislative criteria for parole, and was “genuinely remorseful”.<\/p>\n “We have to look at whether or not he presents a risk to the community and in our assessment he does not,” she said.<\/p>\n “His institutional behaviour has been excellent.<\/p>\n “Don’t forget he has done it hard in prison, because he gave evidence against Bunting and Wagner.”<\/p>\n Snowtown killers John Bunting and Robert Wagner are in prison with no prospect of parole. (ABC News)<\/p>\n Wagner has tried and failed to have a parole date set to secure the prospect of release<\/a>.<\/p>\n Bunting has not made any application but has appeared before the parole board.<\/p>\n The fourth man involved as an accomplice, Mark Ray Haydon, was convicted of seven counts of assisting an offender, for storing bodies at his home north of Adelaide and for helping to move them.<\/p>\n He was released into the community last year<\/a> after serving a 25-year sentence.<\/p>\n Snowtown accomplice Mark Haydon was released into the community under strict supervision last year. (ABC News)<\/p>\n When will Vlassakis be released?<\/p>\n That is unclear. According to the parole board chair, there is now a 60-day period during which several state authorities could seek a review of the parole board’s decision.<\/p>\n But Ms Nelson said that even if such a review were not sought, Vlassakis “wouldn’t be released directly into the community”.<\/p>\n “There’ll be a very careful re-socialisation program introduced for him,” she said.<\/p>\n Frances Nelson says Vlassakis will go through a process of social re-integration. (ABC News: Lincoln Rothall)<\/p>\n There are three authorities with the power to challenge Vlassakis’s parole: the SA Police Commissioner, the Commissioner for Victims’ Rights and the Attorney-General.<\/p>\n The first has indicated he will consider the matter once he has had a chance to examine the parole board’s reasons.<\/p>\n “I haven’t seen the basis for the decision of the parole board at this stage \u2026 and we’ll have a look at how that aligns to any prior advice that we’ve given to the parole board,” Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said.<\/p>\n The victims’ commissioner and Attorney-General have not confirmed whether they would seek a review, with both saying there was “strict confidentiality” around that process.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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