Murder of Stacey Mitchell

Stacey Mitchell was born in Dorset, England, but emigrated to Australia at the age of 10.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/dorset/7148237.stm |title=Women kill 'irritating' teenager |work=BBC News |date=17 December 2007 |accessdate=21 April 2014}} At the age of 16, she ran away from her family home and stayed with 19-year-old Parashumti and 21-year-old Stasinowsky.{{cite web|first=Peter |last=Walker |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/mar/07/internationalcrime.australia |title=Vampire-obsessed couple jailed for life for 'sexually perverse' murder |work=The Guardian |date=7 March 2008 |accessdate=21 April 2014}}

Parashumti was accused by Stasinowsky of flirting with Mitchell. She planned to kill Mitchell to prove to Stasinowsky she was not attracted to her. The three of them spent the evening drinking whisky before Parashumti hit Mitchell over the back of the head with a concrete block. Stasinowsky then strangled her with a dog chain. As she lay dying, the two women kissed over her body and filmed her on a mobile phone. Earlier attempts to kill Mitchell by Stasinowsky included putting broken glass in her drink and spilling oil on the bathroom floor.

The two women were tried at the Perth Supreme Court. During the trial they "smiled, giggled and whispered at each other".{{cite web |last=Buckley-Carr |first=Alana |url=http://www.news.com.au/national/lesbian-murderers-giggle-at-details/story-e6frfkp9-1111115399635 |title=Lesbian murderers giggle at details |publisher=News.com.au |date=26 January 2008 |accessdate=21 April 2014 |archive-date=12 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140512170040/http://www.news.com.au/national/lesbian-murderers-giggle-at-details/story-e6frfkp9-1111115399635 |url-status=dead }} Parashumti's lawyer stated that she had a severe personality disorder and had grown up with an abusive father. She had also had an obsession with the vampire subculture, and a penchant for drinking people's blood since the age of 10. Parashumti's father had previously been in prison for beating his wife.{{Citation|title=Deadly Women {{!}} Fatal Attraction|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTEyd00-MuQ|accessdate=3 August 2015}}

Both women pleaded guilty, and revealed that after Mitchell's death, they had visited a hardware store to look for a chainsaw and some spades.{{Cite news|url=http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western-australia/why-stacey-was-murdered/story-e6frg13u-1111114947413|title=Why Stacey was murdered|access-date=6 January 2017}} In 2008, both women were sentenced to strict security life imprisonment, with a 24-year minimum term.{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2008-03-07/women-jailed-for-24-years-for-murdering-teenage/1065590|title=Women jailed for 24 years for murdering teenage friend|newspaper=ABC News|date=7 March 2008|publisher=}} Stasinowsky subsequently appealed her sentence.{{cite web |last=Cardy |first=Todd |url=http://www.news.com.au/news/killer-appeals-24-year-term/story-fna7dq6e-1111115919771 |title=Jessica Stasinowsky appeals 24-year murder sentence |publisher=News.com.au |date=29 March 2008 |accessdate=21 April 2014 |archive-date=13 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140513021736/http://www.news.com.au/news/killer-appeals-24-year-term/story-fna7dq6e-1111115919771 |url-status=dead }} Her appeal was unanimously rejected by the WA Court of Appeal.{{Cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/news/sadistic-killers-sentence-upheld/news-story/dd80ee37ee3a848681d55d41df8a87ef|title=Sadistic killer's sentence upheld|work=NewsComAu|access-date=4 March 2017|archive-date=5 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170305034856/http://www.news.com.au/news/sadistic-killers-sentence-upheld/news-story/dd80ee37ee3a848681d55d41df8a87ef|url-status=dead}} David Ross John Haynes, who also lived with them, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for being an accessory. Although he had been fully aware of the plan to kill Mitchell, he agreed to go to his bedroom and listen to music.

It was discovered in 2009 that the two women were continuing their relationship in prison, reportedly spending up to 90 minutes together on weekdays, and seven hours a day on weekends.{{Cite news|url=http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/vampire-killers-to-be-split-vow/story-e6frg12c-1111118111984|title=Vampire killers to be split: vow|newspaper=NewsComAu|access-date=6 January 2017|archive-date=23 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141023044717/http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/vampire-killers-to-be-split-vow/story-e6frg12c-1111118111984|url-status=dead}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/news/security-check-for-greenough/news-story/a37414f54670823301b852aa7229e85a|title=Security check for Greenough|newspaper=NewsComAu|access-date=6 January 2017|archive-date=6 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170106173653/http://www.news.com.au/news/security-check-for-greenough/news-story/a37414f54670823301b852aa7229e85a|url-status=dead}} Parashumti was consequently moved to a separate prison.{{cite web|title = Housemate killer's old charges dropped| date=25 March 2014 |url = https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/wa/a/22157905/housemate-killers-old-charges-dropped/|accessdate = 5 August 2015}} They attempted to maintain contact by sending letters, using fellow inmate Catherine Birnie as a go-between.{{Cite news|url=https://thewest.com.au/news/wa/killers-love-letter-discovered-ng-ya-228250|title=Killer's love letter discovered|date=7 December 2009|work=The West Australian|access-date=17 March 2017}} In 2012, three prison officers were injured following their intervention in a fight involving Parashumti and another inmate.{{Cite news|url=http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/prison-officers-injured-in-lesbian-killer-fight-20121113-29a0q.html|title=Prison officers injured in lesbian killer fight|newspaper=WA Today|access-date=6 January 2017}} In 2013 Parashumti attempted to escape from prison, but failed to leave the grounds. It was reported she would consequently face a police charge.{{cite web|title = Escape bid killer left in same prison|url = https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/wa/a/17463926/escape-bid-killer-left-in-same-prison/|accessdate = 5 August 2015|archive-date = 5 March 2016|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160305203022/https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/wa/a/17463926/escape-bid-killer-left-in-same-prison/|url-status = dead}}

In 2014, 20 charges against Stasinowsky, which pre-dated the murder, were dropped.

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Category:2006 murders in Australia

Category:December 2006 crimes in Oceania

Category:December 2006 in Australia

Category:Harassment and bullying

Category:Child abuse resulting in death

Category:Deaths by person in Australia

Category:Deaths from asphyxiation

Category:Female murder victims

Category:Murder in Perth, Western Australia

Category:Child murder in Australia

Category:Violence against women in Australia

Category:Incidents of violence against girls

Category:British expatriates in Australia