The Sundown Murders: Part II: Execution or Exoneration?

 The Sundown Murders: Part II:

 Execution or Exoneration?

In December 1957, the bodies of Thyra Bowman, her daughter Wendy, and family friend, Thomas Whelan were found at the Sundown Station in South Australia’s outback.

Raymond Bailey had been arrested and charged for the murders, claiming he, “had gone mad”.

The case against Bailey was overseen by Justice Reed. It took a jury 96 minutes to decide that Bailey was guilty. Evidence was not overwhelming against Bailey, but a statement he alleged to have given to police was enough to convict.[1] Police also found gunshot casings at the murder site that matched casings found in Bailey’s car.
Bailey was found guilty and sentenced to hang.

  It was announced in newspapers that Raymond John Bailey would be hanged at the Adelaide Gaol on 17 June 1958.[2] He received a reprieve from hanging for one week after claiming there was a fourth body, he had buried. Bailey claimed he had witnessed a man burying the body of Mrs Bowman, and that he killed the man in self-defence. He also claimed to have buried the knife near where Mrs Bowman's car was found. Police took Bailey back to the Station, but he could not produce evidence of the buried body.

Bailey was hanged at 8am, Tuesday, June 24, 1958, in Her Majesty’s Adelaide Gaol.[3]

 

As an interesting footnote to this case.  Stephen Bishop, an investigative journalist has pushed for an exoneration for Bailey. Bishop believes his confession was coerced under duress, and that Detective Glen Hallahan forced Bailey’s confession. Bishop also claims that evidence was overlooked, or ignored, such as footprints that were too large to be Bailey’s, being found at the murder location.

© 2022 Allen Tiller

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[1] 'Bailey Found Guilty Of Sundown Murder', The Canberra Times, (21 May 1958), p. 8., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article91250953.
[2] 'Bailey to Hang on Tuesday', The Canberra Times, (21 June 1958), p. 3., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article136300645.
[3] 'Bailey Hanged For Murder Of Mrs. Bowman', The Canberra Times, (25 June 1958), p. 12., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article136301002.

“Goodbye, and Meet Me in Heaven” - The Murder of Norma Plush.

“Goodbye, and Meet Me in Heaven” - The Murder of Norma Plush.

"The end is now drawing near, and I wish to make my last statement. When I purchased the revolver it was for the purpose of shooting Otto if I saw him misbehaving with the girl Norma, as I looked upon her as a sister. I carried the revolver loaded for a fortnight, and once drew it to cover Otto with. This plan failed, and I was ordered to leave the place and then I shot the child to protect her from evil. After this, I tried to shoot myself, but the revolver would not go off. I then gave myself up to the police. I am sorry for what I have done. Good-bye."

Above is the last written and signed statement of Carlos Bonello before he was taken to the Gallows at Adelaide Gaol and hung at 8am on May 5^th 1910

Bonello, a Portuguese immigrant was sentenced to death on April 7^th after the shooting murder of 13-year-old girl, Emma Norma Plush (known as Norma) in the Barossa Valley town of Nuriootpa.
Bonello had been working as the Gardener around Emma's home, in March he reported to Mrs Plush that he witnessed a young man named Otto be “unduly familiar” with Norma.

Norma's parents dismissed the notion entirely.
On March the 5^th, Bonello walked into the kitchen of the Plush home and said to Mrs Plush, “you don't believe my word!” He then pulled out a gun and fired at Norma, narrowly missing her.
 Mrs Plush and Bonello struggled as she tried to disarm the enraged man. Another shot rang out, this time fatally wounding Norma. Norma had been in the kitchen too, and upon Bonello's entry, had moved out of harm's way, but not far enough.
Bonello fled the scene back to his sleeping quarters, which were also on the property, before giving himself in to the police later the same day.

In Adelaide Gaol, Major Williams of the Salvation Army began to visit the murderer on a daily basis, he reported to the courts that he thought the man was eccentric, but his heart in many ways bound to doing good, and that this murder was a mistake.



Bonello became very remorseful and tried to make his peace with God, confessing his sins to his creator, and, reportedly, feeling somewhat better for it.
Before his death, Bonello repeated the parable of the ten virgins and then said “My Lamp is trimmed and burning brightly. I have the oil of grace in my soul". He then sang “Nearer My God To Thee”.

His last words as he stepped upon the scaffold were “Goodbye, and meet me in heaven” (spoken in Italian)

© 2007 - 2014 Allen Tiller

www.eidolonparanormal.net

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