Bradley Robert Edwards was discovered responsible Thursday of murdering 23-year-old childcare employee Jane Rimmer in 1996 and 27-year-old lawyer Ciara Glennon in 1997. He was discovered not responsible of murdering Sarah Spiers, an 18-year-old secretary whose physique has by no means been discovered, as there was inadequate proof.
The decision got here after a seven-month judge-alone trial of the case which has continued to loom giant within the minds of residents of Perth, within the state of Western Australia.
“The occasions in query occurred greater than 20 years in the past however have haunted the reminiscence of many individuals and troubled the general public conscience,” Western Australia Supreme Court docket Justice Stephen Corridor stated in his judgment.
“The disappearance and sure homicide of three younger ladies was in itself sufficient to trigger extensive concern. The truth that all three went lacking from a well-liked nightlife space frequented by many younger individuals impressed an actual and pervasive sense of concern.”
What occurred
All three of the ladies have been final seen within the early hours after spending an evening out within the prosperous Perth suburb of Claremont. Footage of Spiers — who went lacking in 1996 — have been plastered across the metropolis and she or he often featured of the entrance web page of native newspapers.
The ladies’s disappearances sparked widespread concern in Perth, the place many have been shocked that girls had been kidnapped from a suburb like Claremont which was perceived as protected.
“The truth that three younger ladies disappeared from the streets of Claremont created what was described as an enigma of the darkish,” Corridor stated. “That’s to say that there was a thriller as to who had taken the three victims.”
Inside weeks of their deaths, the our bodies of each Rimmer and Glennon have been present in bushland. Each had been killed by a sharp-force damage to the neck, Corridor stated in his judgment.
Spiers was final seen within the early hours of January 27, 1996. Her physique has by no means been discovered, however there’s nothing to point that she continues to be alive, Corridor stated.
“She will need to have been kidnapped or killed, however the circumstances through which she was taken and the way she died are unknown,” he added.
For many years, their disappearances went unsolved. Then, in 2016, police had a breakthrough.
Edwards — who was was despatched to jail in 2016 after being discovered responsible of two rapes — was recognized as a suspect.
Police matched his DNA to samples taken from underneath the nails of Glennon’s left hand. The prosecution argued that the DNA probably received underneath her nails throughout a violent wrestle earlier than her dying.
In addition they stated fibers discovered on the our bodies of Rimmer and Glennon matched these taken from Edwards’ work automobile, which indicated that he kidnapped each ladies in that car. On the time of their abductions, Edwards was employed by Australian telecommunications firm Telstra.
Response to the decision
Lee Rimmer welcomed Thursday’s verdict, saying the result ended greater than 20 years of not understanding what occurred to her sister.
“I feel you get some closure however it’s at all times going to be the identical. Nobody’s ever going to deliver her again,” she instructed CNN affiliate Channel 9.
Western Australia Premier Mark McGowan stated what occurred to the younger ladies modified the state.
“All through this lengthy, tragic ordeal, Western Australia has grieved with you.”
Edwards will probably be sentenced on December 23, Channel 9 reported.
CNN’s Samantha Beech and Angus Watson contributed reporting.
