Vic: Double killer, rapist could face another trial

AAP General News (Australia)
08-12-2004
Vic: Double killer, rapist could face another trial

A pre-sentencing hearing will be held for convicted killer PETER DUPAS today after
he was found guilty of a second murder -- betrayed by his grisly habit of cutting off
his victims' breasts.

And after the verdict, police have revealed DUPAS is also under investigation for two
more murders.

A Victorian Supreme Court jury took less than a day to convict DUPAS of the mutilation
murder of 40-year old prostitute MARGARET MAHER on the Mornington Peninsula in 1997.

DUPAS is already serving a life sentence without parole for the murder of 28-year-old
NICOLE AMANDA PATTERSON, whose mutilated body was found in her Northcote home in 1999.

The jury had been asked to consider the similarities between the mutilation of PATTERSON
and MAHER -- who were both found with breasts severed.

Detective Inspector GREG HOUGH said outside the court yesterday he'd discuss the other
murders with the Director of Public Prosecutions.

These include the 1997 graveyard murder of 25-year-old MERSINA HALVAGIS, and murder
of 95-year-old KATHLEEN DOWNES, who was killed in a Brunswick nursing home the same year.

AAP RTV sew/dk/ajc/rp/ea/

KEYWORD: DUPAS (MELBOURNE)

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