How current caseloads affect the progress of the Somerton Man Identity inquest...
- In the press release below you will read of the result of a complex search and investigation task undertaken by SA police regarding a fourth person allegedly involved in a 2007 Parafield Gardens murder. Read it carefully and see how incredibly complex, time and resource-consuming police investigations can be. Also, consider this is just one case that the SA Major Crime Squad would be dealing with. There will be many more cases that have to fit into their schedules. The Somerton Man case will get to the top of the list and the Coroner will be able to review the reports and evidence and then, all things being equal, be able to make a finding.
In this case, a person who sought to evade justice escaped to Cambodia believing he would get away with it. He was wrong and the victim's family may now find some peace.
Fourth arrest in historic murder investigation
- 11 May 2024 11:35am
- Today, Victorian Homicide detectives arrested a fourth man wanted in connection with a historic murder investigation that occurred at Parafield Gardens in 2007.
- On 1 December 2007, Thea Kheav was murdered at an 18th birthday party at Parafield Gardens. During the party, Mr Kheav’s brother became involved in a small altercation with another group at the party. The group briefly left but then returned and fatally stabbed Thea Keav.
- The murder was declared a Major Crime and investigated by the Major Crime Investigation Branch.
- Detectives arrested and charged three men with murder, and they were subsequently convicted in 2011 and sentenced to life imprisonment with a non-parole period of 20 years.
- About six months after the death, a fourth suspect was identified however investigators found that he had fled Australia four weeks after the murder.
- In 2008, detectives obtained a warrant of apprehension for the fourth offender who was found in Cambodia and arrested by Cambodian Police.
- Three months later, the Cambodian Supreme Court rejected the extradition application for the man, and he was subsequently released.
- At about 7.30am today (Saturday 11 May), the 36-year-old man formerly of Salisbury North, was arrested after he returned to Melbourne on a flight from Bangkok.
- The man has been remanded in custody at the City Watch House and is expected to appear in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Saturday when SA Major Crime Detectives will seek his extradition back to South Australia.
- You can see in the release just how detailed investigations of this kind are, I believe the Somerton Man case will be treated with the same degree of dedication and professionalism. Like others, I will be keen to read the outcome of the Somerton Man identity inquest when it is published. Whether those findings lead to other aspects of the case being investigated is unknown