Murder of Sian Kingi
| Sian Kingi | |
|---|---|
 Sian Kingi | |
| Born |
16 December 1974 New Zealand |
| Died |
27 November 1987 (aged 12) Tinbeerwah, Queensland, Australia |
| Occupation | Student |
| Known for | Murder victim of Barrie Watts and Valmae Beck |
Sian Kingi (16 December 1974 – 27 November 1987) was a 12-year-old New Zealand girl of Māori descent[1][2] who was abducted, raped and killed in Noosa, Queensland, in 1987. Barrie Watts and Valmae Beck, a married couple, were convicted in 1988 of the much-publicised crime and were each sentenced to life imprisonment.[3]
Crime
Kingi was riding her bicycle near Pinnaroo Park when Beck lured her into some nearby bushes, saying she was looking for her poodle and requested the girl's help.[4] Watts then grabbed Kingi from behind and forced her into a car where she was bound and then driven 12 km 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.[4]
Subsequent developments
Watts
| Barrie Watts | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Barrie John Watts 1954 (age 61–62) |
| Criminal penalty | 2 x Life imprisonment + 92 years |
| Criminal status | Incarcerated |
| Spouse(s) | Valmae Beck |
| Conviction(s) | Rape, Murder |
Watts was tried in 1995 for the murder of Helen Mary Feeney[5] who was last seen alive one month before the murder of Kingi. He was convicted and sentenced to 14 years jail for manslaughter, and in 2007 confessed to his involvement in the murder of Sian Kingi.
Beck
| Valmae Beck | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Valmae Faye Beck 1944 |
| Died |
27 May 2008 (aged 63–64) Townsville, Queensland, Australia |
| Other names | Fay Cramb |
| Criminal penalty | Life imprisonment (non-parole period 14½ years) |
| Spouse(s) | Barrie Watts |
| Children | 6 |
| Conviction(s) | Rape, Murder |
Beck had six children from a previous relationship before marrying Watts.[4] In 2007 it was reported that Beck had legally changed her name to Fay Cramb.[5] She divorced Watts in 1990 saying she regretted everything she had ever done with him.[5] Beck unsuccessfully applied for parole three times, and had her non-parole period extended by 18 months for assisting in the disposal of the body of Helen Feeney, mentioned above.
In prison she was targeted by fellow inmates and was assaulted frequently. At one point, she was struck in the head with a tin can in a sock, causing serious injury. She eventually had to be transferred to a safer environment at the Townsville Correctional Centre. She was also said to have converted to Christianity during this time.[6]
In May 2008 Beck was placed in an induced coma following heart surgery.[7] Police hoped to obtain a deathbed confession regarding three other unsolved Brisbane-area murders of young women,[3] but she died at 6:15 pm on 27 May 2008 at Townsville Hospital without regaining consciousness.[8]
See also
- Murder of Anita Cobby
- Murder of Janine Balding
- Murder of Ebony Simpson
- Murder of Lauren Barry & Nichole Collins
- Murder of Virginia Morse
- Murder of Jill Meagher
References
- ↑ Sian Kingi, Sydney Morning Herald, by Adrian McGregor, published 10 February 1990, retrieved 30 April 2011
- ↑ Child Killer Witness Haunted, Sunshine Coast Daily, 11 May 2008
- 1 2 Valmae Beck, Sian Kingi's killer, is 'close to death', Courier Mail, 7 May 2008
- 1 2 3 Letters of a child killer, Courier Mail, 7 July 2007
- 1 2 3 'I killed Sian Kingi', Courier Mail, 10 June 2007
- ↑ Juan Ignacio Blanco. "Valmae Beck - Murderpedia, the encyclopedia of murderers". murderpedia.org.
- ↑ Let Noosa child killer die, says MP, Sunshine Coast Daily, 8 May 2008
- ↑ Child killer Valmae Beck dies aged 64