The Truro Serial Murders

A Scapegoat

Detained for questioning on May 23, 1979, the detectives heading the investigation, Detective Sergeant Glen Lawrie and Detective Peter Foster of the Major Crime Squad, knew that if they didn't get a full confession, or that if Miller didn't reveal the locations of more bodies, then he could walk out of the police station a free man.

There was not one shred of evidence to link him to the killings. All they had to go on was the say-so of the witness. In the first few hours of his interview at Angas Street Police Headquarters, Miller denied any knowledge of the girls or the killings, giving vague and false answers about knowing anyone named Amelia, let alone having a conversation with her.

When shown photos of Amelia and Worrell together, Miller suddenly remembered knowing them and when confronted with Amelia's statement accusing him of murder, Miller said, referring to the $30,000 reward on offer for any information leading to a conviction of the murders; "Maybe she's short of money", to which Detective Lawrie replied; "Do you really believe that? Is that what you want me to tell the court?"

Miller then said; "No. On second thoughts, maybe she's done what I should do. Can I have a few minutes to think about it?"

A short time later, after being interviewed for six hours, Miller finally said; "If I can clear this up will everyone else be left out of it? I suppose I've got nothing else to look forward to whatever way it goes. I guess I'm the one who got mixed up in all of this. Where do you want me to start?"

Miller then continued to make the statement; "I drove around with Chris and we picked up girls around the city. Chris would talk to the girls and get them into the car and we would take them for a drive and take them to Truro and Chris would rape them and kill them. But you've got to believe that I had nothing to do with the actual killings of those girls."

A seemingly sympathetic Detective Lawrie told Miller that he understood that he was hopelessly in love with Worrell and that he could see how he would do anything for him. This seemed to give Miller confidence in the detective.

"Alright then, there's three more," Miller said quietly. "I'll show you."