Accused Easey Street killer to stand trial for 1977 double murder

Accused Easey Street killer Perry Kouroumblis will stand trial for the murders of two female housemates in Collingwood almost 50 years ago.

Kouroumblis, 66, dressed in a grey suit and tie, replied, “not guilty” twice when asked how he pleaded to each count of murder in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.

A third charge of carnal knowledge was discharged by magistrate Brett Sonnet after he found there was insufficient evidence to prove whether victim Suzanne Armstrong was sexually assaulted before or after she was killed inside her home.

Police allege that between January 10 and January 13, 1977, Kouroumblis entered the Easey Street home and killed Armstrong, 27, and Susan Bartlett, 28.

Armstrong’s body was found in the front bedroom and Bartlett’s in the blood-spattered hallway.

Armstrong’s young son was later found in his cot by a neighbour who raised the alarm after telling the court she heard his cries through a shared wall.

The case was later re-investigated in the late 1990s before charges were laid last year.

Biologist with Victoria Police, Katherine Bradley was part of the team that reanalysed exhibits taken from the crime scene, including bedsheets, a lamp, blood-stained carpet, fingernail scrapings, and a nightdress.

She said more than 100 people had their DNA samples tested against the exhibits over the years, which included sperm and blood samples.

Bradley said it was 2018 when forensics began comparing the accused man’s DNA, found in a car, to the exhibits after receiving a sample from a relative.

“The first samples that were compared were samples that were collected from a vehicle said to be previously owned and used by Mr Kouroumblis,” Bradley said.

“And samples were taken from items from within that vehicle for comparison to any of the DNA results.”

Forensics were unable to find traces of blood on a knife found in Kouroumblis’ possession in the days after the killings, a knife he told police he found among rocks on the train tracks at Victoria Park.

Detective Senior Sergeant Paul Rowe, the homicide squad’s informant in the case, also became involved in the investigation about 2018.

He confirmed that 134 suspects had been compiled by earlier investigators, with seven of them considered the strongest before all being eliminated during DNA testing.

Earlier in the committal hearing, former homicide squad member Stuart Bateson, said those names had included John Grant, Ross Hammond, Ian Lloyd, Barry Woodard, Henry Woodard, and Peter Sampsonidis.

Concerns were also raised this week about the handling and storage of exhibits and what processes had taken place to avoid contamination over almost 50 years.

Sonnet remanded Kouroumblis in custody and ordered he face the Supreme Court for a pre-trial hearing in December.

Those in court to hear the decision included Armstrong’s sister Gayle Armstrong.

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