Murderer jailed for 40 years

A man who dubbed himself the “Hand of Death” brutally slayed two rough sleepers, cut the throat of an inmate and has now been jailed for almost 40 years.

Kevin James Pettiford, 38, sat unrestrained in the dock with his head hanging low before Justice Hament Dhanji in the Supreme Court in Sydney on Wednesday.

Justice Dhanji told the court it was accepted Pettiford had bipolar affective disorder at the time of offending, but it was “not enough” to reduce charges to manslaughter.

He said Pettiford’s crimes were “senseless” and he “intended to kill”.

Pettiford – who told police he intended to become Australia’s most prolific serial killer – has been sentenced to 39 years’ jail with a 26-year non-parole period.

He was found guilty in December 2023 of murdering Byron Bay rough sleeper Andrew ‘Andy’ Whyte Murray, 56, at Jack Evans Boat Harbour, Tweed Heads on November 21, 2019.

Pettiford was also found guilty of the attempted murder of Cessnock inmate Nathan Mellows on December 28, 2019. It was accepted during the trial Pettiford also killed homeless man David Collin, 53, on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland in 2019 and slashed a prison officer’s arm in 2020.

Pettiford returned to the park after he spotted Mr Murray sleeping earlier in the evening.

Pettiford took rocks from the seawall and struck Mr Murray resulting in multiple lacerations, a skull fracture and other horrendous and fatal injuries, the court heard.

Police arrested Pettiford on November 26, 2019 and during interviews he admitted to Mr Murray’s murder.

He also admitted to sending a cryptic letter to police which he signed “the Hand of Death”.

For attempted murder of Nathan Mellows, Judge Dhanji convicted and sentenced Pettiford to 14 years and three months with a non-parole period of 10 years and eight months. For the murder of Andrew Murray, Pettiford was sentenced to 33 years and three months with a non-parole period of 20 years.