The Bega Schoolgirls Murders
14-year-old Lauren Barry and 16-year-old Nichole Emma Collins were Bega High School students and best friends. Their case is often referred to as the Bega Schoolgirls Murders.
On 3rd October 1997, Nichole's father set up a campsite for Nichole to invite her friends to stay at for Labour Day weekend. It was agreed that the girls would regularly call at the house while camping to change their clothes, shower and eat and that Nichole's father would regularly call at the camp to check on the girls. On 5th October at 9 pm, Nichole and Lauren left the campsite to go to a nearby party, the pair walked together along a road. The girls were not seen again and were reported missing the next day.
When the girls had left the party two men, Leslie Camilleri and Linsday Beckett were riding in a car aimlessly nearby. The pair were consuming beer and taking amphetamines. They saw Nichole and Lauren walking and offered them a lift. At around 10 pm after a short conversation, the girls willingly got into the car. A distinctive pink portable television was removed from the back seat of the car and discarded on the side of the road to make room for the girls to sit down.
Rather than give the girls a lift as promised the girls were driven to a rubbish dump and raped. They were then driven further south and repeatedly raped at stop-offs along the journey. The final stop was just south of the Victoria/ New South Wales border. Camilleri ordered the girls to remove their clothing and wash thoroughly in an attempt to get rid of DNA evidence. The girls were then tied and gagged while Camilleri and Beckett discussed what to do next. They argued about who should kill the kills to prevent them from reporting the crime.
Beckett attempted to drown Lauren but struggled, as Lauren tried desperately to get away Beckett was splashed which made him angry. Beckett viciously stabbed Lauren in the neck, killing her. Beckett then ran up the bank to Nichole, who was tied to a tree and out of view from Lauren. Nichole asked if he was going to kill her. Beckett stabbed and slashed Nichole's throat, she did not die and thrashed in pain. Beckett punched and kicked her until she stopped moving.
Camilleri and Beckett then fled the murder scene, burning their blood-stained clothing, gags and ropes. They threw their knives from a bridge and returned home. They spent 6 hours cleaning their car including removing the seats and carpet. Beckett attempted to retrieve the discarded television from where they picked up the girls but could not find it. The television was found by a local council worker and later used as evidence.
On 25th October 1997, police found a car stolen by Beckett and he was arrested. Maps of the Bega area in which the girls were murdered were found along with other items which made police suspect they may have caught Lauren and Nichole's killer. Police interviewed Camilleri the next day. Both men denied any knowledge of the murders.
On 12th November, Beckett made a full confession and agreed to take police to the crime scene and remains of the girls' bodies. Camilleri attempted to insist he was in a drug-induced stupor for the entirety of the time the girls were in the car.
Beckett and Camilleri were both charged with murder, rape and abduction and each sentenced to life imprisonment. Camilleri was later sentenced for another murder, the 1992 killing of 13-year-old Prudence Bird.