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Matthew James HarrisAustralian serial killer
Date of Birth: 30.06.1968
Country:  Australia |
Content:
Biography of Matthew James Harris
Matthew James Harris, an Australian serial killer, was born in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales. He gained notoriety for committing three murders in 1998.
The Crimes
On June 20, 1998, Harris and his accomplice Kenneth Scott Frazier broke into the home of Trang Nguyen. They threatened her with a knife in front of her three children. Nguyen handed over all the cash she had, which amounted to $58. Unsatisfied, the perpetrators demanded her bank card and PIN, but she did not have one. With the stolen money, Harris and Frazier bought alcohol.
On October 1, 1998, Harris, who was friends with Elaine de Jong, invaded the home of her 62-year-old brother, Peter Wennerbom, and strangled him. According to Harris, the elderly man offered no resistance, and he had complete control over the situation. When questioned by investigators whether he initially intended to rob or kill Wennerbom, Harris could not provide a coherent answer. He received a life sentence for this murder.
The next murder occurred on October 17, 1998. Harris went to the home of 33-year-old Yvonne Ford, who had mental health issues. Harris could not explain why he went there or his intentions, simply stating that he "just went." After engaging in sexual activity, which Harris claimed happened spontaneously, he strangled Ford. Once again, Harris failed to provide a clear motive for his actions, stating that he was "angry at the world."
Ronald Galvin, a neighbor of Harris, became his final victim on November 3, 1998. As with the previous cases, Harris did not have a specific motive. When asked by investigators why he committed the murders, Harris responded with something along the lines of "he was able to kill before, so why not kill again?" Harris disposed of Galvin's body by using his girlfriend Elaine de Jong's car. A week after the last murder, Harris almost died from a heroin overdose in a suicide attempt, leading to his arrest on December 1, 1998.
The Verdict
On December 3, 1998, Harris pleaded guilty to all three murders and the robbery of Trang Nguyen. He received two life sentences and 40 years of imprisonment without the possibility of parole.
