James Vlassakis, the youngest person jailed over the notorious Snowtown killings, will walk free after serving a 26-year sentence, as South Australia’s Court of Appeal upheld a Parole Board decision on Tuesday.
Vlassakis, who was 18 when he became involved in the killings in 1998, pleaded guilty to four of the 11 murders committed between 1992 and 1999. His life sentence carried a minimum term of 26 years, which expired in August last year.
Key witness role in Snowtown trial
Vlassakis acted as a key prosecution witness against John Bunting and Robert Wagner, who were convicted of 11 and 10 murders respectively. His testimony was central to their trials, which detailed the murders that shocked Australia.
The bodies of eight victims were found dismembered in barrels inside a disused bank vault in Snowtown, north of Adelaide, in 1999. The discovery led to one of the country’s most gruesome murder investigations.
Court of Appeal decision
In May, the Court of Appeal had revoked a 25-year suppression order that banned publication of Vlassakis’ image and description. The latest ruling upheld the Parole Board’s decision to release him, clearing the way for his freedom.
The Court of Appeal’s decision on Tuesday confirms that Vlassakis will now be released, marking the end of a 26-year incarceration. His release follows a review process that considered his role as a witness and the time served.
