The Frankston Murders

Paul Denyer (born 14 April 1972) is an Australian serial killer, nowadays serving three consecutive verdicts of life imprisonment with a non-parole period 30 years at HM Prison Barwon for the killings of Elizabeth Stevens, 18, Debbie Fream, 22, and Natalie Russell, 17, in Frankston, Victoria, in 1993.

Denyer is known as the "Frankston Killer" as his crimes happened in Frankston and neighbouring suburbs.

Denyer was born to British immigrant parents, Anthony and Maureen Denyer in Campbelltown, New South Wales, an external suburb of Sydney. His parents had immigrated to Australia in 1965. During his infancy, Denyer endured a head injury which led to a common gag in his family every time Denyer made a lewd or out of the regular comment, urging them to say "that's because you fell on your head as a baby". In 1981, the family relocated to Victoria.

Denyer reportedly had complication fitting in amongst his counterparts in his new town which led to problems with his self-confidence that was deteriorated by substantial weight gain during his teen years.

Denyer stalked and killed three women in and around the Melbourne suburb of Frankston during seven weeks in 1993. Denyer was 21 at the time of his crimes. During a police talk, Denyer said the courage for his crimes was a hatred of women in general.

POLICE: Can you explain why we have women victims?

DENYER: I just hate them.

POLICE: I beg your amnesty.

DENYER: I hate them all.

POLICE: Those special girls or women in general?

DENYER: General.

The first casualty was 18-year-old Elizabeth Stevens. She had just come down from a bus to Langwarrin when she was pulled to nearby Lloyd Park. Her throat was cut and a criss-cross pattern was carved into her chest.

A month later, the second fatality, Deborah Fream, was kidnapped in the early evening. She had left her car unlocked to run into a store to buy milk. Denyer climbed into the back seat and hijacked the car after Fream drove from the shop. She was taken to Taylor's Road and, like Stevens, her throat was cut savagely. She had left her 12-day old baby at home with a friend when she left to buy the milk.

Rosza Toth was assaulted by Denyer while walking home from Seaford railway station on the evening of Deborah Fream's kidnapping. Toth was dragged towards the bathroom block. She managed to break free of Denyer's grip and informed the police.

The third and final casualty, 17-year-old Natalie Russell, was assaulted while walking home early from school. She had taken a short cut home along a bicycle track through a park. She was pulled from the path through a large hole in a wire fence but put up an enormous fight. This made Denyer furious, and he slashed at her head and neck. Russell's casualty was the most vicious.

Connections with the 1990 disappearance of Sarah MacDiarmid from nearby Kananook railway station were made. MacDiarmid's corpse has never been discovered. The only evidence indicating a crime was a pool of blood next to her car, parked at the station. Denyer refuted involvement in MacDiarmid's disappearance.

Identical connections to the killing of Michelle Brown have also been discussed. She was discovered naked, and her body was too decomposed to assess the injuries.

Whilst imprisoned, Denyer requested to be allowed to get and wear women's cosmetics, which was refuted.

Denyer also filed a freedom of information requests to understand of the Victorian government's policy on gender reassignment surgery for captives and has sought evaluation to infer his suitability for such surgery, which was also denied by medical specialists.