“I Believe he’s a good man”
Two friends, a married couple who have known Ivan Milat for around 20 years, and who would prefer their names not be published, called him “a good mate. When you needed a hand, he was there,” said the husband, pointing out the work Milat had done around their home. “You didn’t need to ask him. When he was arrested we couldn’t believe it.“Added his wife : “I believe he’s a good man. He was easy to get on with, tremendously easy, and I’ve never seen him angry. They’ve got to find the real person who did this.“
Letter to Chalinder : July 20, 1994
Ivan Milat’s letter to his girlfriend, Chalinder Hughes, from Long Bay Jail. The spelling mistakes are his. Ivan spelled her name “Chalinda” and used to call her “Cylinder” because he couldn’t pronounce her name. My dear Chalinda Hi how are you. I am OK, as you know I got your letter yesterday don’t worry about what them people write as you said it is because the police are telling them I think it will be a while before it come’s out. We have to get our brief first, it would kick up a row if it did come out first. I rang AB [Andrew Boe] this morning nothing much had changed…
Inside Ivan Milat’s House
Ivan Milat‘s house is located at 22 Cinnabar StEagle Vale NSW 2558, Australia. Ivan and his sister, Shirley, bought the land for $50,000 in 1992 and he started building the house with his brother, Wally. From Sins of the Brothers by Mark Whitaker and Les Kennedy : Ivan told his workmates ‘I’m going to build it with this sheila.’ His friends, Noel Wild and Terry Palmer were under the impression he was shacking up with some woman as well as having ‘Cylinder’. ‘What’s your girlfriend think of that?’ Wild asked. ‘It’s all right. She’s very much like me.’ ‘What, have you got ’em on a roaster?’ Palmer asked. ‘You can’t…
“They’re watching me. They’re keeping an eye on me.”
In April 1994, a colleague of Ivan Milat, Don Borthwick, was interviewed by the Task Force Air. He arranged for the officer to conduct the interview at his office, Borthwick and Pengilly Asphalt Pty Ltd in St Clair. Said it was a routine enquiry. Ivan was one of many people they were looking at. They asked what he was like; how much control Borthwick had over his movements at the RTA. They asked him about his work attendance. They were pretty casual. Borthwick thought it was all bullshit. Not Ivan. He didn’t tell them what he was thinking, but he made it clear from his tone that they had the…
Interview with Chalinder Hughes
The following interview was published in Who Weekly, August 5, 1996. At the beginning of their relationship Milat and Hughes often went to the movies, dinner or to visit members of his family. “He liked staying at home quite a bit because he was pretty tired from work. He took me to Darling Harbour and Circular Quay on occasions.“ They didn’t see much of each other during the week, but spent many weekends together. On the weekend of May 22, 1994, Chalinder Hughes was staying with Ivan at the home he and his sister Shirley shared on Eagle Vale when the now-famous Task Force Air police raid was made. “From…
Ivan Milat’s Younger Years
“These people like Milat are consummate actors,” forensic psychiatrist Rod Milton, who advised Task Force Air during their 20-month hunt for the killer, said. They “present themselves as loving and kind and nice. It’s very interesting to think that some of these serial killers’ families, when they find out, sever all connections. Others closes ranks.” By and large, Milat’s family has thus far stood by him, and so has his former girlfriend. Actor he was. Through his sheer energy and cowboy charm, Milat exerted a certain charisma that captivated and bullied those close to him and, like the distractions of a good magician, served to veil evil impulses that he…
Corrective Services officer about Ivan Milat’s years at Goulburn Supermax
‘Frank’’, a career Corrective Services officer now in retirement who knew Ivan Milat during his years at Goulburn Supermax has no illusions about the backpacker killer. “I’d describe him as nondescript,” Frank tells me about the jail’s most infamous prisoner. “He was nothing startling, to me he was just another crim who’d vacuum the hallways. In later years he was flat out stringing two words together.’’ But Milat’s idiosyncratic nature still left something of an impression as Frank remembers. “He did teach me how to recharge flat batteries,” he chuckles, still puzzled by Milat’s curious behavior. “Milat had a lot of tricks like that he’d picked up while working on…
Interview with Ivan Milat, 1997
In October 1997, The Bulletin published an exclusive interview with Ivan Milat, the first since his arrest and trial. The interview was based on questions sent to him via letters and to which Milat replied. He warned them that the “real murderers” are still free and capable of further killings. He said he was framed by police. When asked if he was in any way involved in the murders, the convicted serial killer said, “Absolutely not. Nor do I feel I have to show any feelings towards the people murdered by the backpacker killers because I didn’t do them.“ He described how he spend most of his days in “closed…
Wally Milat : My Brother Ivan
Less than a month after Ivan Milat’s arrest for the Backpacker Murders, his younger brother, Wally Milat, gave an interview to Who Weekly. The interview was published in the June 13, 1994 edition which was subsequently banned for showing Ivan’s face to the world. On growing up Like most of the Milat children, says Wally, Ivan left school at 15. “He’s always been in road work or construction work. He did work in construction for a while, digging foundations and things like that. He worked all over Sydney. About that time my dad was in the construction game and most of the work was jumping onto a train and riding…
Letter to Chalinder : March 6, 1995
Ivan Milat’s letter to his girlfriend, Chalinder Hughes, from Long Bay Jail. The spelling mistakes are his. 6-3-95 Chalinda my love Good evening. I hope you had a nice day. I assume it is Wensday but could be Tuesday. Who care anyway. Again another lost weekend this last 9 1/2 months has been very hard for you. (I do love you and the next 6-7 months will be as difficult as well. I still have high hopes knowing they will make it very hard for me. Anyway my love thanks for coming out last Saturday you looked great as usual, don’t worry too much about how I look, it won’t…
