William Patrick Mitchell

Case record: William Patrick Mitchell

Background

William Patrick Mitchell, also known as “Bill Mitchell,” committed the Greenough Family Massacre, which involved axe murders of Karen MacKenzie and her three children at their remote rural property in Greenough, Western Australia, 400 km north of Perth, on 21 February 1993.

Mitchell was a farm hand and a friend of Karen MacKenzie. He had recently rejected Mitchell, and he had spent the day getting high on a mixture of cannabis, alcohol and amphetamines.

Mitchell pleaded guilty to four counts of willful murder and four counts of sexual assault.

The offence

On 21 February 1993, the first sign of trouble began with the sound of a car arriving at Karen MacKenzie’s house. Karen MacKenzie’s son Daniel, 16, went out to see who it was and was confronted by Mitchell. Mitchell, wielding an axe, killed Daniel and headed for the house. Mitchell found Karen MacKenzie asleep in the lounge room. After attacking Karen MacKenzie with an axe and killing her, Mitchell raped her.

Karen MacKenzie’s daughters, Amara, 7, and Katrina, 5, were fast asleep in their bedrooms. Mitchell turned his attention on them and murdered them with the same axe. The details of how Daniel, Amara and Katrina were killed were ordered sealed by a judge, and details of the murders were withheld from the public because they were deemed too gruesome and horrific. The case was described as “One of the worst crimes in Western Australia,” and it was said that “cries for the return of the death penalty could be heard echoing around the State”.

In sentencing remarks, Justice Owen said: “So far as I am concerned you will never be released . . . if the (Parole) board looks at it in the same way as I do it could be many, many years greater than 20 before you would merit consideration”.

Investigation

Police and forensics scoured the murder scene collecting evidence and arrested Mitchell after a frustrating five weeks.

Investigators arrested Mitchell. When brought in for questioning, Mitchell denied knowledge of the crime. It was only after he attempted to hurt himself and was taken to hospital that he confessed.

A hand lotion used by the killer was identified as a key piece of evidence used to catch Mitchell.

A psychic named Gabrielle claimed she assisted in the investigation. Gabrielle claimed she met a leading detective involved in the case on at least 5 occasions in Victoria Park and gave vital information, including “info about a fingerprint that police had missed,” which led to a return of forensics to the scene. Gabrielle also claimed she accurately profiled the killer and gave his name and address.

Arrest

Mitchell was arrested as the farm hand at the end of the five weeks after the murders. He denied knowledge when questioned and later confessed after attempting to hurt himself and being taken to hospital.

Trial

Mitchell pleaded guilty to four counts of willful murder and four of sexual assault.

A judge ruled that the exact way Daniel, Amara and Katrina were killed should be sealed.

Sentencing

After Mitchell pleaded guilty, he was convicted of the murders in 1995 at the age of 24 and was sentenced to four consecutive terms of life imprisonment, with a non-parole period of 20 years.

In 1993, Mitchell was originally sentenced to strict security life imprisonment with eligibility for parole after 20 years.

A Crown appeal ordered Mitchell’s non-parole period revoked. Another appeal overturned that decision and reinstated his eligibility for the 20-year non-parole period. A court of criminal appeal ruling in April 1994 had determined Mitchell would go to jail and never be released; that ruling was overturned in March 1996 and he was deemed eligible for parole “this year” per the reporting.

Justice Neville Owen ruled that details of the slayings of the children were too horrendous to be made public.

Appeals

A Crown appeal ordered his non-parole period revoked. Further appeals were made through the Supreme Court and High Court, including a ruling that Mitchell never be released. Another appeal overturned that decision and reinstated his 20-year non-parole period.

Outcome

Mitchell was sentenced to four consecutive life terms in 1993, with a non-parole period of 20 years. After multiple appeals, his 20-year non-parole period was reinstated. Eligibility for parole was reported for 2013.

Aftermath

In October 2007, Karen MacKenzie’s mother, Barbara Marchant, received a threatening letter she believed came from an associate of William Patrick Mitchell. The letter read: “Found you bitch. Had someone look for you. Got a photo of your little girl - short hair, white shirt and a little skirt. Nice. See you when I get out.”

Corrective Services Minister Margaret Quirk confirmed that the letter had not been sent from the maximum security Casuarina Prison where Mitchell was being held, and she could not rule out that someone else wrote and sent it.

From the beginning of 2009, Mitchell was held at Bunbury Prison under medium security. He was transferred to medium security at Bunbury Regional Prison in 2009 and was reported as becoming eligible for parole from October 13.

In 2013, West Australian Police Commissioner Karl O’Callaghan said detectives who captured Mitchell were still haunted by the crime. O’Callaghan said the parole board would consider whether police believed he could be adequately managed in the community and that police would make representations.

During a jail visit in 2010, Evalyn Clow asked Mitchell if he hoped to get out on parole and Mitchell replied: “I’d be lying if I told you I didn’t”. Clow said: “Well, just so long as you know that as long as I’m alive with every breath in my body, I’m going to do everything I can to keep you in jail”. Mitchell responded: “And he said he could understand that.”

Mitchell had interfered with Karen MacKenzie’s body and sexually assaulted Amara during a frenzied attack, fuelled by a cocktail of drugs.

A childhood friend of Amara began a petition urging authorities to keep Mitchell in jail. Local MP Ian Blayney said he would present the petition to parliament.

Yasmine Phillips, Karen MacKenzie’s sister, vowed to fight to keep Mitchell behind bars.

Other details

The crimes involved: Karen MacKenzie (31) and her three children, Daniel (16), Amara (7), and Katrina (5). The killings occurred at Karen MacKenzie’s home near Greenough, south of Geraldton, in February 1993. The case involved an axe-wielding murderer known to Karen MacKenzie. Details of the murders were described as sealed by a judge and withheld from the public due to being too gruesome and horrific.