Court Upholds Parole for Snowtown Serial Killer Vlassakis

An Australian court has upheld the parole of James Vlassakis, the youngest of the notorious Snowtown serial killers, clearing the way for his release after nearly three decades in prison. The South Australia Court of Appeal on Tuesday rejected a state government challenge to a parole board decision, marking the first time a serial killer in the state has been approved for release. Vlassakis, now 46, pleaded guilty to four murders committed between 1992 and 1999 as part of the "Bodies in Barrels" killings, which claimed 11 lives. He was sentenced to life imprisonment with a 26-year non-parole period that expired in August 2025. The parole board granted him parole in December, but the state government successfully overturned that decision. The Court of Appeal later found a legal error in the review process, sending the matter back for a fresh assessment. Parole Administrative Review Commissioner David Lovell KC dismissed the Attorney-General's latest application, affirming the original parole decision. South Australia Attorney-General Kyam Maher had argued that the gravity of the crimes and community safety justified keeping Vlassakis imprisoned.