The organizers of one of the country’s worst mass murders may have gone unpunished because the police investigating the Whiskey Au Go Go arson made « very little effort » to solve the crime that witnesses allege was a seedy one Insurance claims conspiracy was triggered.
The shocking revelations are an investigation into the tragic deaths of 15 people at Fortitude Valley nightclub in 1973, which reopened yesterday to unravel the 48-year-old murder mystery.
Dozens of witnesses are expected to be summoned, including convicted triple murderer Vincent O’Dempsey and Australia’s most notorious corrupt police officer Roger Rogerson.
The attorney, who assisted coroner Stephen Keim, said the two-week investigation would provide evidence that people were warned about the arson attack and allegations that the fire was an « insurance job ».
In the early hours of March 8, 1973, two barrels of fuel were rolled into the ground floor below the Whiskey Au Go Go nightclub on the first floor and set on fire, starting a violent fire that killed 15 people.
The victims, ages 17 to 51, died of carbon monoxide poisoning while trying to escape the inferno. Some escaped from broken windows over rooftops and others over a fire escape that led to a locked gate.
An investigation into the fire began immediately in the following days, but was adjourned after three days when James Finch and John Stuart were indicted and later convicted of arson and the murder of the fire’s youngest victim, Jennifer Davie, 17.
No one else has ever been charged with the horrific arson attack, although evidence of the possible involvement of others has surfaced over the past 48 years.
During his opening address to the nearly five-decade-dormant investigation, Mr. Keim said there was « significant » evidence suggesting that convicted killer Vincent O’Dempsey was one of the men responsible for the arson attack.
He said it was alleged that O’Dempsey killed Barbara McCulkin and her two daughters less than a year after the fire to cover up his involvement.
O’Dempsey, who is serving a life sentence for the murders of Barbara and her two daughters Vicki, 13, and Leanne, 11, observed the first day of the investigation from the court dock. He is expected to be called as a witness during the hearings.
« Most of the evidence that Mr. O’Dempsey was present or active when the fire actually started does not appear to suggest, » said Keim.
« The suggestions regarding Mr. O’Dempsey appear to be that he was involved in organizing other people to carry out the attack. »
He said a witness would enumerate evidence O’Dempsey allegedly told someone after Finch served his sentence and was deported to the UK: « If Finch comes back he could finger me for the Au Go Go whiskey ».
Attorney Avelina Tarrago said evidence was presented to the court showing that more people may have been involved in the attack, including boxer Thomas Hamilton and Barbara McCulkin’s husband Robert « Billy » McCulkin.
« If it were the case that Mr McCulkin and Mr Hamilton were involved in the arson at the Whiskey Au Go Go, it would be an indictment of the police investigation immediately after the fire, » said Ms. Tarrago.
« It seems clear that after the arrests of Mr Finch and Mr Stuart, very little effort has been made to find out if anyone else was involved.
Ms. Tarrago said in 1988 that Finch told a news reporter that his accomplice, Stuart, had manipulated him and flown him to Australia from the UK just nine days before the arson attack.
« Finch said Stuart brought him from England and arranged his accommodation in Australia, explained the plan to attack the nightclub and dropped him off on a rendezvous with McCulkin and Thomas Hamilton, who then carried out the attack with Finch. » She said.
and Finch had dropped the drums and distributed the gasoline, and Hamilton had lit the match.
The court is also expected to be presented with evidence of the club’s financial condition and pre-demolition sessions, which opened the possibility that the attack was an « insurance job ».
“From this review it appears that your honor will likely have evidence to suggest that the motive for the attack was to obtain insurance, and a significant number of people other than Stuart and Finch were responsible for the fire as they arrange or plan to do so, « said Ms. Tarrago.
The investigation heard evidence that a number of people were warned to stay away from the nightclub on the night of the fire.
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