Who killed women in 2016?

Women naming male violence against women are often challenged to demonstrate why they focus on male killers, rather than all killers.

The counter arguments given to focussing on male violence against women are that not all men are killers or that not all women are killed by men, also that the deaths are not all directly because they are female.

While these things are true, they don’t change the reality, which is that the vast majority of killers of women are men, many known to the women. These women are not numbers, each death leaves behind shattered lives and families and we join the community in extending our deepest condolences to each and every victim’s family and friends, but we need to see the overall pattern if we want to understand and stop the deaths.

While we explain the rationale behind counting the numbers of women killed by men here, we are also keeping count of women killed overall, and the % killed by men, to demonstrate, using up to date Australian figures, that the overwhelming issue we are facing is male violence.

Year To date deaths

Year to date figures are always a partial snapshot of the final figures for the year and the numbers should not be taken as final until the year has concluded. Delayed perpetrator identification may cause the figures to change through the year, and afterwards. We list a death as male violence where a male perpetrator is obviously identified or formally charged. Many of the unidentified killers are statistically likely to also be male, in line with the annual statistics.

We include links to news articles to justify these figures. If you discover an inaccuracy, please email via the link at the bottom of the page.

In 2016, the year to date figures for women killed are:

Male (alleged) perpetrators – 71 (approximately 90%)

Female (alleged) perpetrators – 8 (approximately 10%)

Women whose cause of death or perpetrator is unidentified – 14*

 

In addition to looking at the number of men charged in relation to the deaths of women, it is worth noting how many of the crimes with female perpetrators also have male perpetrators charged in relation to the death.

Crimes where only female perpetrators are named – 5 (7%)

Crimes involving male perpetrators – 64 (93%)

These are comprised of:

  • Crimes where only male perpetrators are named – 61 (90%)
  • Crimes where male and female perpetrators are named – 2 (3%)

Updated: 22 February 2017

 

Women Killed by Men:

These deaths are blogged individually to highlight the ongoing reality of male violence against women.

The posts detailing women killed by known or suspected male violence are accessed via the home page of the blog.

Where both male and female perpetrators are charged with the murder of a woman, we report the death and list both perpetrators.

Victims are listed in the order in which they were reported, with the month of their death listed below.

  1. Valeria Fermendjin, WA, January 2016
  2. Karen Chetcuti, VIC, January 2016 (Michael Cardamone, neighbour, charged with murder)
  3. Unnamed victim, WA, January 2016 (Eric Evans charged with murder)
  4. Sharon Michelutti, NSW, February 2016 (Gavin Debeyer, partner, charged with murder)
  5. Samantha Kelly, VIC, February 2016 (Peter James Arther, Ronald Lyons and Christine Lyons charged with murder)
  6. Iuliana Triscaru, QLD, January 2016 (7 people charged in relation to the 2 murders – 6 men, 1 woman)
  7. Prasad Somawansa, VIC, February 2016 (Sigaragh Baea, son’s friend, charged)
  8. Unnamed victim, VIC, February 2016 (Luke Sydney McLennan, partner, charged with murder)
  9. Unnamed victim, WA, February 2016 (unnamed man charged)
  10. Jody Websdale, WA, March 2016 (Damian Couzins, partner, charged with murder)
  11. Jackie Deng, VIC, March 2016 (Nelson Makeny, partner, charged with murder)
  12. Manjinder Ghuman, QLD, March (Balwinder Singh Ghuman, husband, charged with murder)
  13. Sukhwinder Ghuman, QLD, March 2016 (Balwinder Singh Ghuman, son, charged with murder)
  14. Gayle Woodford, SA, March 2016 (Dudley Davey charged with murder)
  15. Unnamed victim, SA, March 2016 (unnamed man, son, charged with murder)
  16. Sandra Peniamina, QLD, March 2016 (Arona Peniamina, husband, charged with murder)
  17. Michelle Reynolds, QLD, April 2016 (Wayne Ashely O’Sullivan, partner, charged with murder)
  18. Unnamed victim, QLD, March 2016 (Nathan Rodney O’Malley, partner, charged with murder)
  19. Miming Listiyani, NSW, April 2016 (Khanh Thanh Ly charged with murder)
  20. Unnamed victim, QLD, April 2016 (unnamed man, partner, charged pending postmortem review)
  21. Unnamed victim, QLD, April 2016 (unnamed man, partner, charged pending post mortem review)
  22. Melanie Floyd, QLD, April 2016
  23. Rosemary Gibson, VIC, April 2016 (Alan Gibson, husband, charged with murder)
  24. Tina Kontozis, NSW, April 2016 (Stephen Boyd, ex partner, charged with murder)
  25. Violet Tamvakis, VIC, April 2016 (Socrates Tamvakis, son, charged with murder)
  26. Mengmei (Michelle) Leng, NSW, April 2016 (Derek Barrett, uncle, charged with murder)
  27. Nelda Mavis Edwards, NSW, March 2016 (Dr Stephen Edwards, son, charged with murder)
  28. Karen Belej, VIC, May 2016 (Brandon Osborn, boyfriend, charged with murder)
  29. Adeline Yvette Rigney-Wilson and two children, SA, June 2016 (Steven Graham Peet, husband, charged with murders)
  30. Tamara Turner, VIC, June 2016 (Steven Samaras arrested but not charged)
  31. Unnamed victim (pregnant), SA, June 2016 (Alexander Alis Meyer (charged with causing harm with intent)
  32. Unnamed victim, VIC, June 2016 (unnamed man, partner, charged with murder)
  33. Zeinab Raad, VIC, (Basaam Raad, husband, charged with murder and assault of children)
  34. Voula Delios, TAS, July 2016 (Daryl Royston Wayne Cook charged with murder and aggravated armed robbery)
  35. Elizabeth Kippen, QLD, July 2016 (unnamed man charged with murder)
  36. Unnamed victim, NT, July 2016 (unnamed man charged)
  37. Peta Fairhead, WA, August 2016 (Lucas James Yarran, Leroy Daniel Smith, and Ross James Boag charged with murder later downgraded)
  38. Rhonda Baker, NSW, August 2016 (Onitolosi Latu, boyfriend, charged with murder)
  39. Unnamed victim, NSW, August 2016 (unnamed man, partner, charged)
  40. Unnamed Victim, NSW, August 2016 (unnamed man, son, charged with murder)
  41. Unnamed victim, NSW, August 2016 (unnamed man charged with murder)
  42. Mia Ayliffe-Chung, QLD, August 2016 (Smail Ayad charged with murder and 2 attempted murders)T
  43. Tasmin Bahar, NSW, September 2016 (David Pillay, estranged husband, dead, reported as murder suicide)
  44. Anne Rogers, NSW, September 2016 (Warren Rogers, husband, charged with murder)
  45. Annabelle Chen, WA, July 2016 (Ah Ping Ban, ex husband, and Tiffany Yiting Wan, charged with murder)
  46. Nasrin Abek, NSW, September 2016 (Amir Darbanou, husband, charged with murder)
  47. Myrna Nilsson, SA, October 2016
  48. Barbara Chokolich, WA, October 2016 (Steven John Chokolich, son, charged with murder)
  49. Molly Goodbun, NSW, October 2016 (Keith Goodbun, husband, charged with murder)
  50. Delanne Zingle, QLD, October 2016 (Garry Paul Hudson charged with murder)
  51. Crystal Ratcliffe, QLD, October 2016 (Ricky Cowan, partner, charged with murder)
  52. Amanda Dawson, VIC, October 2016 (Lindsay Masatora charged with murder)
  53. Rainee Abberfield, NSW, October 2016 (John Abberfield, husband, dead, reported as murder suicide)
  54. Adel Barati, NSW, October 2016 (Abdul Barati, husband, charged with murder)
  55. Maria Lutz and two children, NSW, October 2016 (Fernando Manrique, husband, dead in reported murder suicide)
  56. Janice Frescura, Qld, November 2016 (John Frescura, husband, dead reported as murder suicide)
  57. Robyn Frescura, Qld, November 2016 (John Frescura, father, reported as murder suicide)
  58. Unknown Victim, Vic, November 2016 (unnamed man charged with assault and imprisonment)
  59. Jasmine Walls, WA, November 2016 (Benjamin Keiley charged with murder)
  60. Shelsea Schilling, QLD, November 2016 (Bronson Ellery, ex partner, witnessed killing Shelsea, reported as murder suicide)
  61. Unknown Victim, WA, November 2016 (unnamed man charged with grievous bodily harm)
  62. Yvonne Parkes, NSW, December 2016 (Robert Cadman, partner, charged with murder)
  63. Rosemary Russo, QLD, December 2016 (James Mabo charged with murder)
  64. Unknown Victim, WA, December 2016 (unknown man charged with endangering the life, health or safety of a person)
  65. Unknown Victim, WA,December 2016 (unknown man charged with murder)
  66. Tanya Beattie, WA, November 2016 (Ian Dennis Jones charged with murder)

 

Women killed by women:

Known cases of women killed by other women in 2016:

  1. January 201 –  Iuliana Triscaru, reported as victim #6 (7 people charged in relation to the 2 murders – 6 men, 1 woman)
  2. February 2016 – Samantha Kelly, reported as victim #5 (three people eventually charged with murder including two men and a woman)
  3. March 2016 – an unnamed woman is charged with the murder of Freshwater woman May Ritchie
    http://www.9news.com.au/national/2016/03/21/05/53/woman-s-body-found-in-north-sydney-unit
  4. April 2016 – Eva Whitecross was charged with the murder of Rachel Tyquin
    http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/police-interview-woman-after-body-found-in-sunbury-20160415-go7vga.html
  5. July 2016 – Tiffany Yiting Wan and Ah Ping Ban are charged with the murder of Annabelle Chen – listed as victim #45
  6. September 2016 – Kylie Ann Hack charged with the murder of Michelle Meades
    http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2016-10-04/michelle-meades-murder-charge/7901888?pfmredir=sm
  7. November 2016 – Simona Zafirovska charged with murder of her mother Radica Zafirovska
    http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-11-03/daughter-arrested-over-the-gap-murder-of-radica-zafirovska/7994126
  8. May 2016 -42 year old unnamed woman charged with murder of Joanne Martell, missing since May 2016 (charged February 2017)
    http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-02-17/woman-charged-with-murder-of-joanne-martell/8280188

 

Where there are both male and female perpetrators, these deaths appear in both lists.

Watchlist – Women killed with no identified perpetrator or where the nature of death is unclear:

  1. May 2016 – woman dies after falling from moving car, Richlands
    https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/31585306/teenage-girl-dies-after-jumping-from-moving-car-in-queensland/
  2. May 2016 – woman dies after falling from moving car, Haigslea
    http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/woman-dies-after-jumping-from-car-in-queensland-20160505-gonnqp.html
  3. May 2016 – unknown victim, Tarneit
    http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/law-order/crime-stoppers/woman-dies-after-being-found-unconscious-in-tarneit-home/news-story/c9e8c95b56ee78e40304ee5b16fe9dd7
  4. May 2016 – Murder suicide, Melbourne
    http://www.news.com.au/national/victoria/news/man-and-woman-found-dead-in-melbourne-home/news-story/071502617afaa213d1e39a23507f16e9
  5. May 2016 – Debbie Spencer, Penrith
    http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/woman-dies-after-being-found-unconscious-with-head-injury-on-penrith-footpath-20160523-gp23xk.html
  6. June 2016 – Lorraine Hansen, Willetton
    http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2016-07-02/perth-major-crime-detectives-investigating-womans-death/7564068
  7. June 2016 – Karen Risteviski, Avondale heights, confirmed dead February 2017
    http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/karen-ristevski-detectives-question-husband-of-missing-avondale-heights-mother-karen-ristevski-20160711-gq3fw0.html
    http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/missing-mum-karen-ristevskis-alleged-stepson-speaks-20160722-gqc3zw.html
    http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/missing-melbourne-mum-stepson-twist-family-conflict-revealed-in-karen-ristevski-mystery/news-story/0b07846ab2b3a778654c0a6ee67f533f
    http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-02-21/body-of-missing-woman-karen-ristevski-found-police-confirm/8290936
    http://www.news.com.au/national/victoria/bizarre-behaviour-of-karen-ristevskis-family-members/news-story/2bbe3c1ab602e2e9948986048d337aad
  8. July 2016 – Unknown victim, Kew
    http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/law-order/victoria-police-release-man-after-his-arrest-over-kew-death/news-story/5c017087f2675b68678266f61e427ef2
    http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-07-10/no-charges-over-kew-body-find/7584582
  9. August 2016 – Sabrina Bremer, Logan/Dulguigan
    http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/daughters-plea-for-information-days-before-horrific-discovery-in-northern-nsw-20160819-gqwxwn.html
    http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-08-19/burnt-body-found-near-tweed-heads-identified-as-sabrina-bremer/7766410
    http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/joint-homicide-probe-after-burning-body-of-sabrina-bremer-found/news-story/666eb7ae738a4797f11b7cc9c82c54dd
  10. September 2016 – Unknown victims (2), Mt Gambier
    http://www.9news.com.au/national/2016/09/05/14/13/mystery-surrounds-death-of-two-women-at-unit-block-in-mount-gambier/?ocid=9newsfb
  11. September 2016 – Unknown victim, Hobart
    http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-09-26/body-of-elderly-woman-found-in-river-derwent-at-claremont-in-ho/7878384
  12. December 2016 – Stacey Tierney, Melbourne
    http://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/stacey-tierneys-family-suspect-foul-play-in-her-strip-club-death/ar-BBxU1a1?li=AAgfLCP&OCID=HPDHP

 

Deaths previously on watchlist

 

* Includes posted deaths whose perpetrators are now unclear.

Background:

The count of women killed by known or suspected male violence in Australia is jointly undertaken by Reclaim the Night Perth and Women Shout Out Australia.

We report the deaths of women as accurately as possible, updating these records as we are able to. If we have misreported any facts of this case, please contact us. We do not wish to affect any future court actions and will not knowingly publish posts or comments which do this.

Please bear in mind cultural sensitivities when sharing these reports. Where it is not culturally or legally appropriate to do so, we will not report the victim’s name.

If you have any additional information about women killed by male violence in Australia in 2016, please email us at wimms@womenshoutoutaustralia.com or via the facebook pages of Reclaim the Night Perth or Women Shout Out Australia.