The sister of one of the Snowtown murder victims has slammed the decision to release one of the killers, James Vlassakis, as an insult.
Karen Davies, whose brother Ray was one of the eleven victims of the Snowtown murders, has condemned the decision.Â
“Where’s (my brother’s) freedom… he’s never going to have that ever again,” she said.Â
“(Vlassakis) is going to have the freedom to see his family, to see his loved ones, to make friends.
“I know to them and in their eyes he might have been a model prisoner when he was in there but it’s still the fact he took four lives.”
Vlassakis, the youngest of the Snowtown killers, received a 26-year non-parole period as part of an agreement for his cooperation in securing convictions against his stepfather, John Bunting, and Robert Wagner.
Upon approving his release on Tuesday, the parole board chair remarked that the now 45-year-old has demonstrated “good behavior” and does not present a danger to the community.
The attorney-general, victims’ rights commissioner, and police commissioner have been given a 60-day window to challenge the parole board’s decision.
“We will be considering the formal reasons and the exact conditions that the parole board has imposed,” Attorney-General Kyam Maher said.
“We haven’t received those yet.”
Police Commissioner Grant Stevens of South Australia Police confirmed that the matter is under scrutiny.Â
“That’s being reviewed by our major crime investigation branch who will provide me advice,” he said.Â
“I’m not personally aware, and from what I understand, some research suggests that it’s unusual for someone convicted of such offences to be eligible for release.”
If no successful appeal is made, Vlassakis will be transferred to a pre-release center where he will begin reintegrating into society and can gain employment. However, even once released, he will remain under lifelong supervision.
