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Sunday, May 3, 2009

Young Blood Review by Christina

"Young Blood - the Story of the Family Murders" by Bob O'Brien

ISBN: 073226913x

Not usually one for Non Fiction books, I tend to find them too factual to the point of droning and I fall asleep *g*. However I was recently leant a copy (thanks Linda) of a one which covered an horrific crime, or rather several, over the spate of around five years from the late 70s to early 80s in Australia's southern city of Adelaide. As it turned out I didn't fall asleep whilst reading the book - in fact I couldn't put it down! 

Written by Bob O'Brien, one of the investigators on the case, it begins with the first documented crime which when linked to the ones that followed as "the family murders". Not made "big news" until the 15 year old son of a prominent Adelaide news reader disappeared just 50 metres from his home, investigators then compared the evidence and similarities in the previous four murders, and the horrific way in which each man died. All men, or rather boys, were in their teens to early twenties, with the oldest being twenty-five and the youngest just fourteen. 

Author and co-investigator of this book titled "Young Blood", detailed every thought, hypothesis and theory into the disappearance/abductions, torture, rape and murder of these young men. Although they were given leads and names of various suspects, one name kept popping up - and all roads lead to Bevan Spencer Von Einem, a known homosexual and deviant. The book describes in detail some of that which he was known to be capable of, and the lengths to which mankind will go for one's own gratification is barbaric. 

Whilst I enjoyed the book, my eyes were opened to an even more distasteful disrespect of the deviant criminal mind. This was not only clever in the way Von Einem appeared to be coated with teflon, but it was completely unjust. He was found guilty of the abduction, rape and murder of the fifth and final boy, who was just 15, but charges against him for another two that were very closely linked were dropped and cases dismissed. So while Von Einem has sat in prison for the last 14 years for the one murder, many South Australians have their own views on just what part he played in each of these young men's torture and death. 

Von Einem himself has said that he will tell all only after his mother passes, and as nothing has been revealed as yet one can only assume that at 98 the woman is still very much alive. Whether his revelations will disclose the true nature of his involvement or expose other higher and more affluent members of Adelaide's community is unknown - only Von Einem knows the truth, and so far he has said nothing. 

When the book went to publication he was eligible to apply for parole in 2009, when he will be in his mid-sixties. However the prosecution still fights to keep him locked up and out of harm's way - that of the innocent victims, not Von Einem. 

"Young Blood" is the story of what is infamously known to Adelaideans as "the family murders", not because of any familial involvement, but the closed net that always tightened around Von Einem and caused his to slip through the investigators' fingers. It is believed "the family" comprises of many affluent and public identities, though to what extent no one knows. Again, only Von Einem has that knowledge. And the public? Well, we may never truly know.

Submitted by Christina aka Stina

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