19th Murderer: Peter Dupas - Victims: Margaret Maher, Nicole Patterson and Mersina Halvagis – suspected of three other murders: Helen McMahon, Renita Brunton and Kathleen Downes
Peter Norris Dupas (born 6 July 1953) is an Australian serial killer, currently serving three life sentences without parole for the murder of three women, Margaret Maher, Nicole Patterson and Mersina Halvagis and being a serious habitual offender. He has a very significant criminal history involving serious sexual and violent offences, with his violent criminal history spanning more than three decades, and with every release from prison has been known to commit further crimes against women with increasing levels of violence. His criminal signature was to remove the breasts of his female victims.
Peter Dupas
Peter Dupas is serving concurrent life sentences without parole for the rape and murder of Mersina Halvagis (25), Nicole Patterson (28) and Margaret Maher (40), and is suspected of other rapes and killings.
Mersina Halvagis
Nicole Patterson Margaret Maher
Dupas attacked then killed Ms Halvagis as she prayed at her grandmother’s grave at Fawkner Cemetery in Victoria on November 1, 1997.
He is also serving two life sentences with no parole for the murders of Ms Maher in 1997 and Ms Patterson in 1999.
“You seem to be motivated by a deeply entrenched, perverted and sadistic hatred of women, and a complete contempt for them and their right to live,” Justice Hollingworth said when sentencing the 57-year-old to his third life term without parole.
Killer's grisly trademark his downfall - SMH - Aug 2004
"Convicted killer Peter Dupas was today found guilty of a second murder, betrayed by his grisly habit of cutting off his victims' breasts."
A tragic life ends at the hands of a monster - The Age - Aug 2004
"Some time after death, 40-year-old Margaret Maher's breast was severed and placed in her mouth, a final insult to a woman who was dumped with rubbish in a back road at Somerton."
Since 1974, Dupas has been in and out of jail several times and has accrued 42 years in prison. He is now 66 years old. Should he live until his mid-70s, he will have been in Maximum Security Incarceration for 51 years
Based on the average annual cost of Maximum Security Incarceration in 2020, jail incarceration of Peter Dupas will have cost the Victorian taxpayer $8.925 million circa ($175,000 p.a. x 51 years).
Questions re 19th Murderer: Peter Dupas
Should the Victorian state government amend its criminal codes so that where the level of proof is Beyond Any Doubt of Guilt that the death penalty may be sentenced for malicious unprovoked murder because Justice for the Innocent Victim should be a consideration amongst the Purposes of Sentencing?
Should other states and territories similarly amend their criminal codes?
Write responses to above two questions re 19th Murderer on 'Peer Reviewer's Responses to Sentences Form' Word document