Christopher Flannery

Overview

Christopher Dale Flannery (1949 - missing and believed murdered ca. May 9, 1985) was an Australian hitman.

Flannery was born in Brunswick.

Flannery’s body has never been found and no one has been charged with his murder.

Background

Flannery was the son of Edward William and Noelle Mary Flannery. He had a brother named Edward and a sister named Erin.

Flannery was married to Kathleen and had two children, Peter and Christine.

Flannery attended St. Joseph's Primary, St. Joseph's College, West Brunswick State School, Moreland High School and Brunswick Boy's School, all in the inner northern suburbs of Melbourne.

He left school at the age of fourteen. He received his first criminal conviction later that year.

Flannery was described as flambuoyant and hot-headed, and he was said to have had a macabre sense of humour: at parties at his family home in Melbourne, a coffin was laid out on the kitchen table and filled with ice to cool the beer.

Flannery moved to Sydney in 1984 to work as a bodyguard. After his acquittal on the murder charge involving Raymond Francis "Lizard" Locksley, Flannery bought a house in Arncliffe and brought his wife, Kathleen, and children up from Melbourne.

After the attempted execution in which Flannery was allegedly the gunman, he leased an apartment at the Connaught building, which was close to the CIB headquarters.

The offence

Alleged involvement in murders and contract killings

On his release from prison, Flannery became a bouncer at Mickey's Disco, a massage parlour in St Kilda. He moved into contract killing after becoming bored by the work.

According to police, one of his first jobs was the murder of barrister Roger Anthony Wilson.

Police have alleged he was responsible for up to a dozen murders.

Investigation and evidence

Attempted bribes and testimony

Wilson case: Police alleged that the trio forced Roger Anthony Wilson off the road, abducted him and took him to Pakenham, where Flannery took him into the bush to shoot him.

It was alleged that Flannery missed and Wilson, bleeding profusely from a head wound, tried to escape. It was further alleged that Flannery then went "mad" and emptied his gun into Wilson's head and back.

Attempted execution of Mick Drury: Alan Williams later testified that Flannery attempted to bribe Drury through Roger Rogerson in order to get the charges against Williams dismissed.

When Drury rejected repeated attempts at bribery, Williams claimed that he agreed to pay Flannery and Rogerson $AU50,000 each to murder Drury.

On what he thought was his deathbed, Drury told detectives he believed he was shot because of "the Melbourne job."

Alleged events leading to Flannery’s disappearance

As Flannery and his wife walked towards their house on January 27, 1985, the house was sprayed with 30 shots from an Armalite rifle. Flannery was shot through the hand as he pushed his wife's head down and he suffered some other minor abrasions.

Flannery blamed Tom Domican who was later charged and convicted of attempted murder, but the conviction was over-turned on appeal.

Rogerson was seen in the area in the days after the shooting and was interviewed by police. He claimed he was just curious to see what kind of damage such a gun could do. Rogerson was released without charge.

Drury was also interviewed, but was not considered a serious suspect.

Arrest

Armed robbery allegation

In 1974, Flannery and two other men were alleged to have committed an armed robbery on a David Jones store in Perth.

They were arrested in Sydney by former Detective Sergeant Roger Rogerson.

It was alleged that Flannery paid a bribe to Rogerson to escape conviction.

Wilson murder charges

In August 1980, Flannery, Mark Alfred Clarkson and John Henry Williams were arrested and charged with Wilson's murder.

Locksley murder trial events

In October 1981, Flannery was unexpectedly acquitted of the murder charge involving Wilson.

As he left the court, detectives from New South Wales Police immediately arrested him for the murder of Sydney brothel owner, Raymond Francis "Lizard" Locksley who had been murdered at Menai on May 11, 1979.

Attempted execution of Detective Mick Drury

On June 6, 1984, Flannery is alleged to have been the gunman in the attempted execution of Sydney Drug Squad detective, Mick Drury.

In connection with this, Flannery’s friend Alan Williams had charges laid against him relating to the police drug operation. Williams later testified regarding the alleged bribes and the alleged agreement to pay Flannery and Rogerson $AU50,000 each to murder Drury.

Shooting at Flannery’s house and subsequent charging

Flannery blamed Tom Domican for the Armalite rifle attack on January 27, 1985. Domican was later charged and convicted of attempted murder, but the conviction was over-turned on appeal.

Allegation regarding Tony Eustace

On April 23, 1985, it was alleged that Flannery's employer, George Freeman, sent him to murder his friend, Tony Eustace.

Eustace was found by two schoolchildren who were returning home from sports training at about 7 pm. Eustace had been shot six times in the back and was lying beside his gold Mercedes, bleeding profusely. He was rushed to hospital.

Police attempted to speak to him, asking who had shot him, but Eustace told them to "fuck off" and died a short time later.

Trial

Wilson extradition and acquittal

Flannery was extradited to Perth but acquitted at trial.

Wilson acquittal outcome in October 1981

In October 1981, Flannery was unexpectedly acquitted. As he left the court, detectives arrested him immediately for the murder of Raymond Francis "Lizard" Locksley.

Locksley jury failure and retrial

In 1982 a jury failed to reach a verdict and a retrial was adjourned until April 18, 1984.

Flannery was subsequently acquitted.

Prior conviction and imprisonment

At 16, he was convicted of housebreaking, car theft, assault against police, carrying firearms and rape.

He was sentenced to seven years imprisonment.

Sentencing

At 16, Flannery was sentenced to seven years imprisonment.

Appeals

Tom Domican was later charged and convicted of attempted murder for the January 27, 1985 attack, but the conviction was over-turned on appeal.

Outcome

Murder charges and verdicts

Flannery was acquitted at trial after extradition to Perth.

In October 1981, Flannery was unexpectedly acquitted in connection with Wilson.

After Flannery’s immediate arrest for the murder of Raymond Francis "Lizard" Locksley, a jury failed to reach a verdict in 1982 and a retrial was adjourned until April 18, 1984.

Disappearance and belief of death

After the attempt on his life, Flannery leased an apartment at the Connaught building.

On May 9, 1985, he received a phone call from Freeman, instructing Flannery to meet him. Flannery went to the garage but found his new car would not start. He rushed back to the apartment to call Freeman, who told him to catch a taxi.

Flannery exited the building and was never seen again.

Aftermath

Coroner’s findings

On June 6, 1997, New South Wales State Coroner Greg Glass handed down the finding that Flannery was murdered most probably on or about May 9, 1985.

Glass also found that the key to solving his murder lies with former detective Roger Rogerson.

Rogerson interview

On February 22, 2004, Rogerson told the Sunday program:

"Flannery was a complete pest. The guys up here in Sydney tried to settle him down. They tried to look after him as best they could, but he was, I believe, out of control. Maybe it was the Melbourne instinct coming out of him. He didn't want to do as he was told, he was out of control, and having overstepped that line, well, I suppose they said he had to go but I can assure you I had nothing to do with it."

Survivors

Flannery was survived by his wife, Kathleen, and two children.

Other details

Nicknames and roles

Flannery was nicknamed Mr. Rent-a-Kill.

Flannery worked as a bodyguard for Sydney crime figure George Freeman.

Before contract killing, he worked as a bouncer at Mickey's Disco, a massage parlour in St Kilda.

Gang wars involvement

In late 1984, Flannery became embroiled in the Sydney "gang wars" and sided with Neddy Smith.

Smith claims that Flannery became paranoid and "was running around shooting at anyone he thought had anything to do with (Barry) McCann or Tom Domican."

Smith claims that police attempted to negotiate an end to the gang wars but that Flannery refused to stop the killings.

At one meeting, according to Smith, Flannery told a high ranking police officer:

"You're not a protected species, you know – you're not a fucking koala bear!"

Alleged attempted execution and charges relating to Alan Williams

Drury had been the undercover agent involved in a police drug operation which resulted in charges being laid against Flannery's friend, Alan Williams.

Williams later testified that Flannery attempted to bribe Drury through Roger Rogerson in order to get the charges against Williams dismissed.

Williams claimed that he agreed to pay Flannery and Rogerson $AU50,000 each to murder Drury after repeated attempts at bribery were rejected.

Taxi and alleged police shot

Neddy Smith claims that while waiting for a taxi, two police detectives Flannery was friendly with stopped and offered him a lift.

Allegedly, Flannery got into the backseat and at the next set of traffic lights, another two police officers got into the car on either side of him and before he could react, the officer in the front seat turned around and shot Flannery.

Cultural portrayals

The film "Everynight ... everynight" (1994) was based on his life.

Chris was also portrayed in the two-part ABC film "Blue Murder" (1995).