Australia Australia - Margaret Penny, 58, & Claire Acocks, 49, Portland, Vic, 3 May 1991

[enzeder]

Portland murder accused not formally interviewed until 14 years later
April 14, 2015: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/p...wed-until-14-years-later-20150413-1mk6us.html

Ms Acocks had been colouring Mrs Penny's hair on a Friday afternoon when both women were bound to chairs and repeatedly stabbed in the upper body, before their throats were cut.

It is alleged a tail comb - which has a long, thin metal handle - was one of the weapons used, along with a Bowie knife, but no weapon has ever been found.

Mr Penny told police that he had been babysitting his five-year-old granddaughter on the afternoon of the murders.

 

[enzeder]

Portland double murder accused says police case against him is ‘just bizarre’
APRIL 14, 2015: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/vi...-is-just-bizarre/story-fni0fit3-1227303991317

THE elderly man accused of a double murder 24 years ago has described the case against him as “bizarre”.

Robert Penny, 83, said he was surprised police had “suddenly decided” to charge him with killing his wife, Margaret, 58, and her hairdresser, Claire Acocks, 49, in Portland in 1991.

 

[enzeder]

APRIL 14, 2015: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/vi...-is-just-bizarre/story-fni0fit3-1227303991317

 

[enzeder]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-04-13/man-arrested-over-brutal-1991-portland-double-murder/6388050

Crown prosecutors allege Mr Penny shared detailed information about the murders with his children just hours after the attack.

Police also allege Mr Penny turned up at the Acocks' home in a dishevelled state the morning after the murders and told Ms Acocks' husband Peter that a sharp tail comb was used to murder the pair and Ms Acocks had died very quickly.

It was argued only the murderer could have known that information, days before autopsies were carried out on the women.

The homicide squad said it also had telephone intercepts of Mr Penny.

But Mr Penny's defence lawyer Rob Starry told the court his client could have been told that information by police at the crime scene and there have been other suspects over the years.

 

[enzeder]

Husband, 83, knew of murder scene secrets, court told
APRIL 14, 2015: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/new...crets-court-told/story-e6frg6nf-1227302500417

The court heard Mr Penny had gone to Acocks’ home the morning after the crime and told her family “Claire died very quickly”.

Constable Hogan said the crime scene had yet to be processed at that stage and no one had known of puncture marks which were found on the women’s bodies. “It would have been *impossible for him (Mr Penny) to understand ... the nature of those injuries, the puncture marks, at that time,” he said.

Police believe a knife and another sharp implement, possibly a hairdresser’s tail comb, were used but have not recovered the murder weapons.

The murderer took about $100 from the cash register, turned off the lights, locked the door and walked away, leaving the women’s bodies in a corner.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Elderly man accused of killing two women in 1991 too ill to appear in court

The elderly man accused of killing his wife and her hairdresser in Portland more than 24 years ago was too ill to appear in a Melbourne court on Monday.

Robert Penny, 83, of Malvern, had been due to face the Melbourne Magistrates Court for a committal mention after being charged with murdering his wife, Margaret, 58, and hairdresser Claire Acocks, 49, in May 1991.

But defence lawyer Emily Clark said a medical certificate had been sent to the court last week asking Mr Penny be excused from appearing.
Magistrate Charlie Rozencwajg agreed to adjourn the case to July 20 when a committal hearing date was expected to be set down.

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/e...o-ill-to-appear-in-court-20150706-gi5x5s.html

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Portland hairdressing murder: 50 witnesses to be called

"The author of a book about the killing of two women 24 years ago in a Portland hairdressing salon will be one of about 50 witnesses called when the murder case starts in November.

Robert Penny, 83, is charged with murdering his wife Margaret and hairdresser Claire Acocks in May, 1991, by stabbing both with a sharp implement"



http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/vic...0-witnesses-to-be-called-20150819-gj2nr1.html

 

[Fuskier]

FYI
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-11-...bert-penny-appeared-jovial-court-told/6944486

Portland man accused of double murders appeared 'jovial' after wife was killed, court toldBy Sarah Farnsworth
16 November 2015

"... Supermarket owner Shaun Smith told a committal hearing that Robert Penny came to the store a few days after the murders and asked what could be used to get rid of bloodstains" ...

Trial continues at present ...

 

[Fuskier]

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/la...s/news-story/dfe5b58907affe9c53e4b3771ae6faf6

Court hears police ignored information in 1991 Portland murders
November 16, 2015

"... A COURT has heard allegations of police incompetence in the handling of a brutal double slaying that has haunted a coastal Victorian town... Today the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court heard police repeatedly ignored “vital” information on the case at the time"... :facepalm:

 

[OkieGranny]

From November:

https://au.news.yahoo.com/vic/a/30116278/vic-double-murder-hearing-adjourned/

On Tuesday, after months of delays, a committal hearing to be held at the Melbourne Magistrate's Court was delayed for at least five months because one of the key witnesses is overseas.

Family and friends burst into tears and shook their heads when Magistrate Carolene Gwynn announced the matter would be delayed. "He could die before then," a friend, who didn't want to be named, told AAP outside court...

The case is now adjourned until April 2016.

 

[Taco]

http://www.standard.net.au/story/38...-robert-penny-dies-before-day-in-court/?cs=72

 

[Elainera]

Wow. I wonder whether he did it.

What will be done now? Will a judge still try to determine whether he was guilty? Because if he wasn't, his name should be cleared, and also, there might be a murderer still walking free.

 

[OkieGranny]

https://au.news.yahoo.com/vic/a/34301153/vic-murder-suspects-2nd-wife-at-inquest/#page1

The second wife of a man suspected of killing his first wife and her hairdresser in Victoria will give evidence at an inquest into their unsolved murders...

A second inquest into the women's murders began in November...

But detectives now suspect Penny might have been motivated to kill his spouse because he was having an affair with a young woman who later became his second wife.

 

[Fuskier]

FYI today 30/06/2017

7 News Melbourne Retweeted
Kristy Mayr‏Verified account @KristyMayr7 11m11 minutes ago

Families of Portland hairdresser murder victims Margaret Penny & Claire Acocks in court for Coroner's inquest finding.. @7NewsMelbourne

 

[Fuskier]

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/c...-1991-portland-stabbings-20170630-gx1vfd.html


June 30 2017 - 12:21PM

Coroner won't point the finger at dead man for 'heinous' 1991 Portland stabbings
by Adam Cooper

The stabbing murders of two women in a Portland hairdressing salon 26 years ago remain unsolved, after a coroner ruled she couldn't be sure the man police charged had killed the two women...

 

[Fuskier]

Kristy Mayr‏Verified account @KristyMayr7 6m6 minutes ago

TONIGHT: 1991 'hairdresser' murders of Margaret Penny & Claire Acocks still a mystery, after 2nd inquest clears accused husband #7NewsMelb
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DDjPv3sXgAEzLTc.jpg