Serial killer wants a sex change in jail
Natalie Russell was just 17 when she was savagely murdered by a cruel and remorseless serial killer
Almost 25 years have passed since their kind-hearted, caring and funny daughter was stolen from them. But not a day goes by when Natalie Russell isn’t in the hearts and minds of her parents Brian and Carmel.
Natalie, 17, was murdered by serial killer Paul Denyer as she walked home from high school on a rainy Friday afternoon in 1993. She was Denyer’s third murder victim in the Frankston area of Melbourne. After he pleaded guilty to all three murders and one count of abduction, Denyer was sentenced to life in prison with no parole in December 1993.
He appealed, and in 1994 his non-parole period was set at 30 years – a decision that has angered Natalie’s heartbroken parents.
On top of that, the griefstricken couple have had to witness Denyer, now 45, flouting prison laws by wearing women’s make-up and underwear. He has asked prison guards to call him “Paula”, and a photo leaked to the media a few years ago shows him posing with mascara, eyeliner and lip gloss.
He has since campaigned unsuccessfully to have sexchange surgery, which he expected taxpayers – including his victims’ parents – to fund.
“This bloke has too many privileges – he’s been very well looked after,” says Brian, 76. “He has been moved to different prisons for his own protection and then he can dress as a woman and ask the taxpayers to pay for surgery so he becomes a woman – it’s a disgrace. He lost all his rights when he murdered three young women. I thought maybe the law would be tougher so when people murder someone they get put away for life.”
On June 11, 1993, Denyer abducted Elizabeth Stevens, 18, as she got off a bus near her home. He threatened her with an imitation gun, took her to bushland and choked and stabbed her.
He later said he “just wanted to kill” and targeted women because “I just hate them”.
‘He should have to sit it out in prison without any privileges’
On July 8, Denyer attacked Debbie Fream, 22, a new mother. She’d popped out to her local milk bar and left her car unlocked.
Denyer hid in the back seat and then forced Debbie to drive to scrubland where he stabbed her to death.
Natalie was his final victim, attacked as she walked along a track on her way home from high school at around 2.20pm.
The site has since been renamed Nat’s Track. At 2.20pm on July 30 every year, family gather there to remember the intelligent student who dreamed of becoming a journalist.
“Time doesn’t heal but you try to learn to live with what happened,” says Carmel, 74.
“I think Denyer loves all of the attention he gets with the women’s clothes, make-up and wanting surgery. He should have to sit it out in prison without any privileges and in much harsher circumstances. He has his good food and TV while Natalie is gone.”
Brian nods tearily in agreement and says he misses the time they spent swimming together of an evening, teaching his daughter to drive and working with her at his brakes business every Saturday morning.
“For a long time after I’d see a young girl with long black hair like her and think, ‘There’s Natalie’ – just for an instant. I truly hope Denyer is never let out. He’s shown no signs of changing and I fear he’d do something awful again.”