Kevin John Hender

Case record: Kevin John Hender

Background

Kevin John Hender was 48 years old (49 at sentencing) and lived in Blakeview, South Australia (SA). He knew Samantha O’Reilly and was in charge of the local football league, holding senior positions within the league. He was a father of three boys.

At the time of the murder, Hender was described as being depressed about missing out on a job and the death of a relative.

The offence

Hender saw Samantha O’Reilly, a 15-year-old girl, walking and offered her a lift. He took her back to his home in Blakeview. After bringing her to his home, Hender attempted to rape her.

Hender then strangled Samantha O’Reilly and dumped her body in the Adelaide Hills. Her body was found at Humbug Scrub, near Kersbrook, just hours after she left her Blakeview home to go shopping.

Investigation and confession

Hender confessed to his crime after a failed suicide attempt. Medical evidence showed Samantha-Jane was a virgin. Teresa Anderson, prosecuting, said:

"The confession was made after the police had conducted a DNA test (and) because the game was up."

Trial

In the Supreme Court, Justice Tim Anderson sentenced Hender.

Craig Caldicott, for Hender, told the court that the maximum discount on the non-parole period should be given for Hender’s February guilty plea. Caldicott said the decision to kill the teenager was made on the “spur of the moment” and said:

"Clearly what happened is that there was an act of a sexual nature and as a direct result ... he strangled Samantha O'Reilly with a ligature,"
"He said it was a spur- of- the- moment decision (with a view) to rendering her unconscious so she wouldn't remember what happened and hopefully come to at some stage."

Caldicott said Hender was more concerned about the effect on his family than being caught and described how the events unfolded after he picked Samantha up:

"He was driving around and saw Samantha, picked her up... and events, in effect, unravelled from there,"
"The decision (to kill) was made in a sense of panic because it was going to be discovered that he had sex with this girl and his family would disintegrate."

Justice Anderson said it was “ironic” that Hender had committed murder to protect his family, as most of them had since ostracised him.

Teresa Anderson, prosecuting, said Hender told police Samantha-Jane had “pestered” him to have sex with her. She said:

"(He said) 'I only had sex with her because she threatened me with disclosure',"
"That is highly fanciful... he panics after the sexual act because he thought this was a girl who would tell and therefore ruin his marriage. "
"Having made that deliberate decision he asked the victim to come to the lounge, got her to lie face down (and) got the rope he had to strangle her."

Teresa Anderson also said medical evidence showed Samantha-Jane was a virgin and that Hender had only confessed after a failed suicide attempt. She described the impact on the victim:

"A 15- year- old girl has had her life cut short by an act which she did not provoke in any way, a girl who... was vulnerable and unable to defend herself."

Justice Anderson reserved his decision on a non-parole period.

Sentencing

Justice Tim Anderson sentenced Hender to life imprisonment for the murder of Samantha on January 3. Hender was sentenced on June 25, 2004.

The sentence was life in jail with 23 years non-parole. The earliest parole date was 2026.

Outcome

Hender was convicted of murder. The sentencing occurred in the Supreme Court on June 25, 2004, and he received a life imprisonment sentence with a non-parole period as set out at sentencing.

Aftermath

The victim’s semi-naked body was found at Humbug Scrub, near Kersbrook, just hours after she left her Blakeview home to go shopping. Hender was described as being ostracised by most of his family after the offence.

Timeline

• January 3, 2003 — Hender strangled Samantha O’Reilly and dumped her body in the Adelaide Hills.
• February — Hender entered a guilty plea.
• June 25, 2004 — Justice Tim Anderson sentenced Kevin John Hender to life imprisonment; a non-parole period of 23 years was applied, with the earliest parole date in 2026.