Real Crime Stories/Paranormal Hauntings/Conspiracy Theories Book II

The Frankston Serial Killer

Paula Denyer (born PaulCharles Denyer, 14 April 1972) is an Australian serial killercurrently serving three consecutive sentences of life imprisonmentwith a non-parole period of 30 years for the murders of three youngwomen in Melbourne, in 1993. Denyer became known in the media as theFrankston Serial Killer as her crimes occurred in theneighboring suburbs of Frankston. Later, during her imprisonment,when aged around 30, Denyer began identifying as a transgender woman,but was refused permission by prison authorities to wear make-up,receive sex reassignment surgery, or legally alter her name.

Early life

Denyer was born as Paul Charles Denyeron 14 April 1972 to British immigrant parents, Anthony and MaureenDenyer in Campbelltown, New South Wales, an outer suburb of Sydney.Her parents had immigrated to Australia in 1965, before moving toAdelaide, and in 1981, the family (now including five sons and adaughter) relocated to Melbourne. Denyer then reportedly haddifficulty fitting in amongst her peers in her new town, which led toproblems with study and self-confidence that were worsened bysignificant weight gain during her teen years. At age 11, she slashedthe throat of her sister's teddy bear, and cut the throat of thefamily cat before hanging it in a tree; at age 13, was arrested andcautioned for stealing a car; and at age 15, for assaulting a fellowstudent. After school, she had problems holding down jobs, was firedseven times, and failed a physical when trying to enter VictoriaPolice.

Crimes

Denyer, aged 20–21 and identifying asmale at the time of her crimes, started to stalk and attack a numberof women in and around the Melbourne suburb of Frankston during afive-month period in 1993. The first known incident attributed toDenyer occurred in February 1993, when Donna Vanes' Claude Streetunit in Seaford was broken into. After a series of disturbingprank-calls, Vanes was fearful of being alone. Arriving home with herboyfriend at around 1:00am, having been out for about an hour, theyfound that her cats' throats had been slashed, as had the walls,furniture, and some of her baby's clothes. Female pornographicimagery was also found, and the message "Donna you're dead"written in blood on the wall. Unwilling to stay at the unit, shemoved in with her sister, who was living in the unit next to Denyer,and whose neighbor had also recently been the victim of a break-inslasher.

The first murder victim was 18-year-oldElizabeth Stevens, who had come to Melbourne from Tasmania in January1993 to study at TAFE Frankston. Living in Paterson Avenue,Langwarrin, with her aunt and uncle, she had alighted from a bus atthe stop on Cranbourne Road, on Friday 11 June. As she had beenexpected home at around 8:00pm, her uncle started searching for herin his car at 10:00pm, and the police were notified around 1:00am,but little could be done given the bad weather that day. The nextmorning a man found her partially concealed body in Lloyd ParkReserve: she had been strangled, stabbed, her throat had beenslashed, and a criss-cross pattern was carved into her chest.

A month later, on Thursday 8 July,41-year-old Rosza Toth alighted at Seaford railway station, andheaded north along Railway Parade on her way home. Around 5:50pm, asshe walked past Seaford North Reserve, she noticed a man loiteringnear the toilet block, and was attacked shortly after passing him.Toth was dragged into the park, but broke free after Denyer held afake gun to her head, and she pretended to submit. Shaken, and withlight injuries, she then ran back to the road, stopped a car, and wasassisted by the driver back to her house.