Murder of Sian Kingi

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Sian Kingi was a 12-year-old girl who, in 1987, was abducted, raped and killed in Noosa, Queensland, Australia. Barrie Watts and Valmae Beck, a married couple, were convicted in 1988 of the much-publicised crime and were each sentenced to life imprisonment.^[1]

Contents 1 The crime 2 Subsequent developments 2.1 Watts 2.2 Beck 3 References

[edit] The crime

Kingi was riding her bicycle when Beck lured her into some nearby bushes, saying she was looking for her poodle and requested the girl's help.^[2] Watts then grabbed Kingi from behind and forced her into a car where she was bound and then driven 12km to Tinbeerwah forest. Kingi was raped by Watts before being stabbed and strangled. Her body was dumped in a nearby creek bed and located six days later.^[2]

[edit] Subsequent developments

[edit] Watts

Barrie Watts
Born	1954
Conviction(s)	Rape, Murder
Penalty	Life imprisonment
Spouse	Valmae Beck

Watts was tried in 1995 for the murder of Helen Mary Feeney^[3] who was last seen alive one month before the murder of Kingi.

[edit] Beck

Valmae Beck
Born	1944
Died	27 May 2008 Townsville
Alias(es)	Fay Cramb
Conviction(s)	Rape, Murder
Penalty	Life imprisonment
Spouse	Barrie Watts
Children	6

Beck had six children from a previous relationship before marrying Watts.^[2] Beck later legally changed her name to Fay Cramb.^[3] Beck divorced Watts and stated that she regretted everything she had ever done with him.^[3] Beck had applied for and been rejected for parole on three occasions prior to her death.

As of May 2008, Beck was hospitalised in an induced coma following heart surgery.^[4] Police hoped to obtain a death-bed confession from Beck regarding three other unsolved Brisbane-area murders of young women.^[1] However, she died at 1815 hours (6:15 p.m. local time) on 27 May 2008, without having regained consciousness.^[5]

[edit] References