Murdered Gangland Killer Buried

On the 19th April 2010, notorious Australian gangland killer Carl Williams was beaten to death in a high-security unit of a Melbourne prison.

The ‘baby-faced’ killer was serving a life sentence in Barwon Prison for ordering the murders of three underworld rivals and a drug trafficker, and conspiracy to commit a fifth murder.

Thirty-five people were killed in Melbourne’s gangland wars, of which Williams was an integral figure. He had served three years of his minimum thirty-five years when he was killed.

A thirty-six year old inmate has been charged with the murder, but the identity of the perpetrator has not been revealed for legal reasons.

The inmate belonged to The Overcoat Gang, said to have been founded in the 1970s by Mark “Chopper” Read, an ex-convict who is now a best-selling author of crime novels. It is alleged that Read started the prison gang in 1975 after other inmates blamed him for eating too many sausages on Christmas Day.

Williams was hit over the head repeatedly with a piece of exercise equipment. He sustained serious head injuries and died of cardiac arrest. Claims that he was left in his cell for twenty-five minutes before being found have caused speculation into corruption within the Victorian police force.

Although the Office of Police Integrity is overseeing investigations into possible corruption surrounding the murder, there have been calls for a Royal Commission in the past month. The Victorian opposition leader Ted Baillieu believes more needs to be done.

“Something terribly, terribly wrong has gone on there, where a high security prisoner, obviously under the surveillance that Mr Williams was under, can be brutally murdered in the middle of the highest security jail we have- something terribly wrong has gone on and I do have reservations about, certainly about Corrections Victoria investigating itself,” he says.

“Victoria needs an independent, broad-based anti-corruption commission which can be called upon when issues of corruption arise.”

Williams’ lawyer Rob Stary is of the same opinion, stating, "There will be a murder investigation, but that will only deal with the immediate circumstances surrounding Mr Williams' death. It won't look at the broader issues."

Victorian Premier John Brumby disagrees, asserting that three inquiries is more than enough. “To be honest, what occurred in the prison was obviously unacceptable, but the person concerned was a serial killer. I think it'd be quite unnecessary and quite inappropriate use of taxpayers' money to have a Royal Commission.”

This Friday, April 30th, Williams was buried in a gold casket in north Melbourne after a funeral at St. Therese’s Church. One hundred mourners were in attendance, among them Williams’ ex-wife Roberta and their daughter. Roberta Williams gave the eulogy and their daughter read a poem.

Sources

ABC News: Inmate Charged with Williams Murder
ABC News: No Royal Commission for Serial Killer Williams
ABC News: Murdered Carl Williams Buried in Gold Casket
SBS World News: Man Charged with Carl Williams’ Murder
The Australian: Carl Williams Dies after Jail Attack
BBC News: Australia Gang Boss Carl Williams Dead in Jail Beating
The 7:30 Report: Williams’ Death Sparks Corruption Claims
PM: New Taskforce to Investigate Possible Corruption in Carl Williams’ Murder