The Thirteen Bank Accounts
McGaffin had the capability to do something most other criminals couldn’t do. He could wash his own money.
Sam Hill
Investigative historian, writer and genetic genealogist. My sources are inanimate objects. They don't lie. They don't demand loyalty. And they can't be manipulated with time.
Chapter 8: Letters of Administration
When Alex McGaffin died he left behind significant assets that were distributed in accordance with intestate protocols because he had no will. At least, that's the story presented to the Supreme Court.
Why Cold Cases Need More Creative Thinking
Thinking outside the box - when considered in context, anomalies become patterns.
Chapter 7: The Unexplained Millions
How does a divorced, part-time security guard become a multi-millionaire?
"We called him Rambo": What this nickname reveals about the suspect
There is a consistent formula to funerals. The Spartan phrase about not speaking ill of the dead remains firmly fixed in our psyches. So what does it mean when a eulogy defies these social norms?
Chapter 6: Mr Cruel’s House in Thomastown
Police and the public have been searching unsuccessfully for this house for 35 years. Thanks to the incredible memories of two child victims, I have identified a house that matches to the most sought after criminal address in Melbourne.
Chapter 5: The 1995 Execution
There are some things you just need to read. This post is one of them.
Chapter 4: The Tower Maniac
How a Shared Signature Implicates Mr Cruel as Victoria's Worst Serial Killer
Chapter 3: The Calling Card.
How the "Anon" signature connected two connected two serial offenders
What I'm Reading in the Inbox This Week
I've received some interesting emails this week. I thought I’d share my take on the top 3 questions.
Chapter 2. From 8 to 80: How Mr Cruel and the Tynong North/Frankston Serial Killer Shared an Unusual Trait
While Mr Cruel's well-known attacks targeted girls between the ages of 10 and 14, the other cases police linked him to include adult women and even a teenage boy. This wide range of victim ages is an extremely unusual feature, and it is a trait shared by the Tynong North serial killer.
Chapter 1: The Two Exceptional Kidnappers Who Could Disappear Anyone
Right before Mr Cruel's emergence, Melbourne was terrorised by a similarly experienced and also unknown kidnapper. The two offenders overlapped in space, but never quite in time, and therefore never met in the same dark alley. What if they were one and the same?
The Mr Cruel Series of Cold Cases: The Lie We Were Told
An inaccurate official narrative has kept this notorious case unsolved. Mr Cruel was never "just" a rapist. He needs to be re-framed as an experienced, violent, lifelong serial offender who committed a wide range of crimes.
