One of South Australia's most notorious convicted murderers, Bevan Spencer von Einem, has died while serving a life sentence in prison. The Department for Correctional Services confirmed his death on Friday, December 6, 2024.
A Life Sentence for a Shocking Crime
Bevan Spencer von Einem was found guilty of the 1986 murder of 15-year-old Richard Kelvin, the son of prominent Adelaide newsreader Rob Kelvin. The crime sent shockwaves through the community and remains one of the state's most infamous cases.
Von Einem was sentenced to a minimum of 24 years in prison in 1991, later increased to a life sentence with a 36-year non-parole period after an appeal by the Director of Public Prosecutions. He had been incarcerated for over three decades at the time of his death.
The Investigation and Lingering Questions
The murder investigation was complex and lengthy. Richard Kelvin was abducted from an Adelaide street in 1986. His body was discovered in a remote location weeks later. The case involved extensive police work and was marked by its brutality.
During the trial and subsequent investigations, police explored potential links between von Einem and other unsolved crimes, including the suspected murders of several young men in the 1970s and 1980s, often referred to in media as the "Family Murders." Von Einem was never charged in connection with those other cases, but the speculation and public interest surrounding them persisted for decades.
Official Confirmation and Reaction
A spokesperson for the Department for Correctional Services stated: "The Department for Correctional Services can confirm prisoner Bevan Spencer von Einem passed away on December 6, 2024." The department confirmed that his death was not being treated as suspicious and that a report would be prepared for the State Coroner, which is standard procedure.
The news brings a close to a dark chapter in South Australia's criminal history. For the family of Richard Kelvin and the families of other victims associated with the era, von Einem's death marks the end of a long and painful saga, though the memories of the crimes remain.
The case had a profound impact on community safety perceptions in Adelaide during the 1980s and led to significant media scrutiny of the police investigation. Von Einem's death in custody concludes the legal punishment for one of the state's most reviled criminals.
