Christopher Worrell

Case Overview

Christopher Worrell was described as a rapist and was later killed in a car accident on February 19, 1977. His accomplice and partner, James Miller, was convicted as part of a joint criminal enterprise involving the picking up of women, raping and murdering them, and disposing of their bodies near Truro, South Australia.

Over a seven-week period in the Australian summer of 1976-77, the bodies of seven young women (aged 15 to 26) were discovered near Adelaide. The victims were described as being picked up, often including hitchhikers, and were raped and murdered. The women were often reported as having been strangled, frequently using a nylon cord. There was also a suspicion concerning the last victim that she may have been buried alive.

Timeline

• December 23, 1976 — Veronica Knight accepted a ride home; Miller and Worrell picked her up and later disposed of her body at Truro.
• January 2, 1977 — Tania Kenny was picked up by Miller and Worrell after hitchhiking from Victor Harbour; they buried Tania at Wingfield.
• January 21, 1977 — Juliet Mykyta was picked up after waiting at a bus stop; Worrell offered her a lift home and then drove her to Port Wakefield; Julie was later strangled.
• February 6, 1977 — Sylvia Pittman was picked up at the Adelaide Railway Station; she was later strangled with her own pantyhose and disposed of at Truro.
• February 7, 1977 — Vickie Howell was picked up at the Adelaide Post Office; she was later strangled and disposed of at Truro.
• February 9, 1977 — Connie Iordanides (AKA Connie Jordan) was picked up in the city centre; she became frightened, and Worrell forced her into the back seat; she was later found dead and disposed of at Truro.
• February 12, 1977 — Deborah Lamb was picked up while hitchhiking on West Terrace; she was later buried at Port Gawler.
• February 19, 1977 — Worrell and Deborah Skuse were killed in a motor accident; Miller survived with a fractured shoulder.
• April 25, 1978 — William “Bill” Thomas and Valda Thomas found the remains of Veronica Knight near Truro.
• April 15, 1979 — Four bushwalkers discovered the skeletal remains of Sylvia Pittman about 1 km from where Veronica Knight was found.
• March 12, 1980 — After a six-week trial, James Miller was found guilty of six counts of murder and acquitted of the murder of Veronica Knight.
• February 8, 2000 — Chief Justice John Doyle granted a non-parole period of 35 years from the date of Miller’s arrest.
• October 22, 2008 — It was reported that James Miller died of terminal cancer at the age of 68.

Background

Over a 51-day period between December 23, 1976 and February 12, 1977, seven young women disappeared in Adelaide. The deaths were later connected to a series of discoveries of skeletons in bush graves over a 12-month period in 1978-79 in the Truro district, about 80 kilometres north-east of Adelaide.

Police built a profile involving a local sex offender who was more than likely to have been released from jail just prior to the first abduction and may have returned for further offences. The investigation later shifted to treating the disappearances as the work of a serial killer.

The Offence

Victims and alleged pattern

The victims were picked up by Miller and Worrell, who were described as bisexual lovers and co-offenders. The women were raped and murdered, often by strangulation. There was also a stated suspicion that the last victim, Deborah Lamb, had been buried alive.

A number of the victims were described as hitchhikers:

• Veronica Knight accepted a ride home.
• Tania Kenny was hitchhiking from Victor Harbour.
• Deborah Lamb was hitchhiking on West Terrace.

Individual victim accounts attributed to Miller’s allegations

December 23, 1976 — Veronica Knight (18)

• Miller claimed Veronica had become separated from her friend while shopping and accepted a ride home.
• Miller alleged they spoke her into going for a drive into the Adelaide foothills.
• Miller alleged Worrell parked while Miller went for a walk, and returning to the car Miller found Veronica dead.
• Miller alleged Worrell angrily confronted him and produced a knife, threatening to kill him as well.
• Miller alleged they drove towards Truro along Swamp Road and disposed of Veronica’s body after threats with the knife.
• Miller alleged her hands were tied and that they dragged her under after entering through a fence, covering her with branches and leaves.
• Miller alleged they returned to Adelaide and the next day they reported for work.

January 2, 1977 — Tania Kenny (15)

• Miller alleged Worrell and he picked up Tania who had just arrived in the city after hitchhiking from Victor Harbour.
• They drove to Miller’s sister’s home, with Miller sitting in the car while Worrell and Tania went inside.
• Miller alleged an argument occurred and that Worrell threatened to kill Miller if Miller did not help.
• That night they buried Tania at Wingfield.

January 21, 1977 — Juliet Mykyta (16)

• Juliet waited at a bus stop after finishing a part-time job in the city.
• Worrell offered her a lift home and drove her to Port Wakefield.
• Miller alleged he sat in the car while Worrell tied her up, described as part of Worrell’s kink.
• Miller alleged he went for a walk but turned around after hearing disturbance; Worrell began strangling Juliet.
• Miller alleged he tried to pull Worrell off but was not strong enough, and Worrell threatened to kill Miller.
• Juliet later joined the others at Truro.

February 6, 1977 — Sylvia Pittman (16)

• Sylvia was picked up as she waited for a train at the Adelaide Railway Station.
• They drove to the Wingfield area; Miller later helped dispose of the body at Truro.
• Miller later described her strangling as being by using her own pantyhose.

February 7, 1977 — Vickie Howell (26)

• Worrell rang Miller to pick him up from the Adelaide Post Office; when Miller arrived Vickie was already with him.
• Miller alleged she had recently separated from her husband and was happy to go with them to Nuriootpa.
• They stopped; Miller went for a walk and later returned to find Vickie dead and Worrell in a rage.
• Miller alleged he cursed and abused Worrell, expecting to be killed himself, but Worrell said nothing.
• Vickie was taken to Truro.

February 9, 1977 — Connie Iordanides (16) (AKA Connie Jordan)

• Connie was picked up in the city centre and offered a lift home.
• Miller alleged Connie became frightened when they drove in the wrong direction.
• Miller alleged Miller stopped at Wingfield and Worrell forced Connie into the back seat while Miller did nothing.
• Miller alleged Worrell left him for a while and on returning they drove to Truro.
• Connie was disposed of under bushes at Truro.

February 12, 1977 — Deborah Lamb (20)

• Deborah was hitchhiking on West Terrace and was picked up.
• They drove to Port Gawler; Miller went for his walk.
• When Miller returned, Deborah was not there and Worrell was pushing sand into a hole with his foot.
• Deborah was later found buried at the spot.

Forensic testimony included a Director of Forensic Pathology, Dr C. H. Manock, describing it was possible that Deborah Lamb had been alive when placed in the grave, and that the sand and shellgrit would have formed an obstruction to the airway and prevented air from entering air passages. Dr Manock added that it was impossible to say this positively because of the advanced state of decomposition of soft tissue. Dr Manock described pantyhose wrapped seven times around the mouth and jaw, which could have caused death by asphyxia.

February 19, 1977 — Deborah Skuse and Worrell (motor accident)

• Deborah Skuse was described as the girlfriend of a friend.
• Miller and Worrell were said to have taken her to Mount Gambier for the weekend but returned to Adelaide because of Worrell’s “black” moods.
• Worrell was said to have been driving; the car blew a tyre and rolled several times.
• Worrell and Deborah Skuse died while Miller survived with a fractured shoulder.

Victim discoveries

Anzac Day 1978 discovery near Truro

• William “Bill” Thomas and Valda Thomas found what they thought was “the bone from the leg of a cow” while mushrooming in bushland near Truro.
• They found a shoe attached, and inside the shoe they discovered skin and neatly painted toenails.
• Police later identified the dead woman as Veronica Knight.

April 15, 1979 discovery

• Four bushwalkers discovered the skeletal remains of Sylvia Pittman.
• The remains were discovered about 1 km from where Veronica Knight was found.

Additional skeleton discoveries

• After further searching, police found two more skeletons in an opposite paddock: Connie Iordanides and Vicki Howell, described as two of the missing girls.
• Police later discovered Deborah Lamb’s body at Port Gawler Beach.
• Police later found the skeletal remains of Tania Kenny.

Investigation

Early police investigation and profile development

Police initially treated the disappearances as suspicious and kept the cases under constant investigation. Detective Superintendent K. Harvey stated police had considered each girl’s disappearance suspicious and the cases were under constant investigation, and that he knew the situation was more than coincidence after the missing girls did not turn up.

Police ordered a search of the paddock by 70 police after confirmation that multiple bodies were present. Police appealed to the public for help after their trail was described as stone cold.

Informant and reward

A woman identifying herself as “Angela” informed police she knew a man who could help with the investigation. She later made statements describing conversation(s) at a funeral in February 1977. The clandestine “Angela” was later revealed to be Amelia, Christopher Worrell’s girlfriend at the time that he was killed.

A reward of $10,000 was offered by newspapers to catch the killer, and the Government increased its offered reward to $30,000.

Arrest and Interrogation

Questioning and change from denial to statement

Miller was brought in for questioning on May 23, 1979 and initially denied knowing anything. He eventually stated there were three more locations and agreed to show police.

Miller was driven under guard to Truro, Port Gawler, and the Wingfield dump and pointed out the locations of the remains of three more girls. Forensic evidence later showed that Deborah Lamb could have been buried alive.

Verbatim statements attributed to Miller

Miller said:

“Maybe she’s short of money”
and Detective Lawrie replied: “Do you really believe that? Is that what you want me to tell the court?”

Miller then said:

“No. On second thoughts, maybe she’s done what I should do. Can I have a few minutes to think about it?”

Miller later said:

“If I can clear this up will everyone else be left out of it? I suppose I’ve got nothing else to look forward to whatever way it goes. I guess I’m the one who got mixed up in all of this. Where do you want me to start?”

Miller continued:

“I drove around with Chris and we picked up girls around the city. Chris would talk to the girls and get them into the car and we would take them for a drive and take them to Truro and Chris would rape them and kill them. But you’ve got to believe that I had nothing to do with the actual killings of those girls.”

Miller then said:

“Alright then, there’s three more,”
“I’ll show you.”

Miller’s statement as relayed during interrogation included:

“I know it might sound crazy after all this. I don’t hold to murder. I really believe in the death penalty. An eye-for-an-eye. Believe me, I wanted no part of this, it was like a nightmare. Each time we picked up one of those girls, I had no idea of his intentions.”

Miller later maintained in later reporting:

“They can give me life for knowing about the murders and not reporting them. But they charged me with murder .. It's a load of bullshit.”

Miller also said:

“Chris Worrell was my best friend in the world.”
“If he had lived, maybe 70 would have been killed. And I wouldn’t have ever dobbed him in.”

Trial

Charges and verdict

Miller was charged with four counts of murder, and the other three counts were added after further examination.

The trial concluded with a verdict on March 12, 1980 after a six-week trial:

• Miller was found guilty of six counts of murder.
• Miller was acquitted of the murder of Veronica Knight.

The jury agreed Miller did not know Worrell intended to murder the girl in the acquitted count.

Verbatim statements attributed to counsel and Miller

Crown prosecutor Mr B. J. Jennings said:

“He referred to the girls as “rags”. That was the attitude that led him to throw in his lot with Worrell,” he said.
“No rapist and murderer could have had a more faithful or obliging ally.”

Mr Jennings continued:

“You will never know the truth but have no doubt that it is a horrible truth that these young women were murdered because they were going to point the finger at the young man who tied them up and sexually abused them. They could also point the finger at the older man who ignored their plight and their terror. If a man assists another by driving him to a place where a girl is going to be raped and killed, then he is guilty of murder.”

Mr Jennings also stated:

“It was obvious, Mr Jennings said, that no one could possibly believe the girls had been willing partners in their own murders and that Worrell had never used any force.”

Defence counsel Mr K. P. Duggan, QC, said:

“He was just waiting for Worrell and there was no joint enterprise as far as he was concerned. Miller had found himself in one of the oldest relationship problems in the world that of the involvement in the wrongdoing of someone else. He was trapped in a web of circumstance. Although Miller admits that he handled the situation incorrectly, he maintains that he is not a murderer.”

As Miller was led from court, he snarled at Detective Sergeant Lawrie:

“You filthy liar, Lawrie – you mongrel”

Sentencing

Justice Matheson sentenced Miller to the maximum term of six life sentences.

Appeals

A juror hired a lawyer to petition the Attorney-General for a retrial. South Australian Chief Justice Len King agreed Miller should be granted another hearing on the grounds that Justice Matheson instructed the jury to find Miller guilty of murder. However, the Attorney-General, Chris Sumner, refused to grant a retrial.

In 1999, Miller applied to have a non-parole period set.

Outcome

Worrell’s death

Worrell and Deborah Skuse were killed in a motor accident on February 19, 1977. Miller survived, with a fractured shoulder.

Miller’s imprisonment status and parole eligibility

Miller was serving life sentences after conviction in 1980. On February 8, 2000, Chief Justice John Doyle granted a non-parole period of 35 years, making Miller eligible for parole in 2014.

Death

On October 22, 2008, it was reported that James Miller died of terminal cancer at the age of 68. He was transferred to Mary Potter Hospice from Yatala Labour Prison shortly before death. Niki Lamb, the daughter of Deborah Lamb, said she was advised within minutes of Miller’s death at around 10pm and described it as “a massive relief”.

Aftermath

Miller maintained his innocence regarding murder and said he had only been present and had not helped abduct the victims or assisted in the sexual assaults and murders that followed. He also described his role as “chauffeur and mug”.

A Correctional Services spokesman refused to confirm or deny Miller’s death immediately because members of his family and his victims’ families needed to be notified first.