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As he asked for the driver's details, the driver produced a revolver and fired through the
Hyundai's passenger window, hitting Silk in the chest and pelvic area, sending Silk to the ground. Miller, seeing Silk being shot, pulled out his service revolver and went to return fire, but a shot fired through the Hyundai's rear window caused Miller to duck, only for a second shot to be fired through the shattered rear window and hitting Miller under his left arm and exiting through his hip. After shooting Miller, the gunman got out of the vehicle, walked over to Silk lying on the verge next to the passenger side of the Hyundai, and fired a third shot to the head, killing Silk instantly. Despite being wounded, Miller returned four shots at the Hyundai as it was speeding off.
226:. Police also recovered three spent bullet casings matching those fired from Miller's service revolver, indicating Miller's fourth shot likely hit the gunmen's car. Ballistics testing on the bullets recovered from the bodies of Silk and Miller revealed that two different firearms were used in the murders. Ballistics also revealed the bullets matched those recovered from the scenes of the armed robberies that Silk and Miller were investigating as part of Operation Hamada.
350:
379:"Victoria Police does not endorse or support this book. We were only told of the book after it had been written and the deal finalised with the publisher. We're extremely disappointed that a serving police officer would be involved in this publication without the knowledge or support of many of his task force colleagues."
221:
hatchback. After extensive investigations, which took the team to the
Hyundai factory in South Korea to obtain vital prosecution evidence, police narrowed down the exact make and model of the vehicle involved in the shootings from the glass samples. The vehicle was registered to the daughter of known
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pulling into the underground car park. Upon seeing Silk and Miller, the Honda then reversed out of the car park at high speed, leading to a brief chase, only for Silk and Miller to lose the vehicle on the back streets. After losing the Honda, Silk and Miller drove back to the underground car park and
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have played off for the Blue Ribbon Cup since 1999. The cup is dedicated to those who have died while on duty. The best player from the match receives the Silk–Miller Medal. Both men were passionate supporters of the sport. This annual game ensures that the legacy of the two men continues to live on
165:
On the night of 15 August 1998, Sergeant Gary Silk, 34, and Senior
Constable Rodney Miller, 35, were seconded to a Victoria Police Armed Robbery Squad operation, named Operation Hamada, investigating a series of armed robberies committed in at least ten restaurants over a seven-year period, starting
319:
and a retrial was ordered based on evidence tampering by the
Victorian police. The appeal judges said the misconduct of one officer had corrupted the initial trial "as to poison it to its root". It was found that Senior Constable Glenn Pullin destroyed his original statement, submitting a backdated
186:
hatchback pulling in and out of the car park, prompting them to follow the vehicle. After following the vehicle a short distance, Silk and Miller pulled the vehicle over. With Miller standing between the vehicle and the unmarked police vehicle, Silk walked over to the passenger side of the vehicle.
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Upon hearing the shots over the two-way radio, Silk and Miller's fellow officers in
Moorabbin 403 responded to the scene, arriving at 12:11am and finding Silk dead and Miller missing; despite being mortally wounded, Miller had managed to walk the short distance back to the restaurant before
392:, around June 1997. Debs was sentenced to a third term of life imprisonment without parole. Debs was also found guilty of the April 1995 murder of Donna Ann Hicks, a mother of three from New South Wales, on 12 December 2011. Debs received another life sentence.
170:), were assigned to stake out one of the potential targets: the Korean BBQ “Silky Emperor”. At 10:50pm, Silk and Miller drove from the Korean BBQ when it closed for the night and joined two more officers sitting in another unmarked patrol car (callsign
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after new evidence was obtained via media reports supporting the original allegations of misconduct. On 12 December 2018, IBAC announced it would hold public hearings on 4 February 2019 into "alleged serious misconduct" by
Victoria Police officers.
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collapsing on the verge, where he was found by a uniformed officer, still alive. As Miller was loaded into the ambulance, he told responding officers that he and Silk had been shot by two gunmen. Miller was taken to
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statement instead, indicating that there were two offenders. A fresh trial was ordered for
Roberts, running for four months, featuring 90 witnesses, 200 exhibits, and hours of recorded conversations.
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174:) parked outside the Silky Emperor Restaurant, arriving at 11pm and taking position in an underground car park next to the Silky Emperor. At 11:28pm, Silk and Miller spotted a dark blue
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Evidence left at the scene of the crime included pieces of glass, suspected to be from the getaway car used by the killers. Police tested this glass and discovered it came from a
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granting bail. Kaye commended the jury for its effort, noting that in his whole experience "this case has been the hardest one I’ve seen for a jury, and I really mean that".
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the Silky
Emperor Restaurant near the corner of Cochranes and Warrigal Roads, Moorabbin, at approximately midnight when they were gunned down at close range.
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Former police officer Joe D'Alo was a member of the task force investigating the shootings. He left the force and wrote a controversial book titled
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Roberts spent a total of 22 years in prison and is due back in court to hear the sentence for 10 charges of armed robbery he has admitted to.
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started investigating improper practices during
Lorimer Taskforce, but it was closed due to lack of evidence. In November 2017, IBAC reopened
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jury delivered its verdict after five days of deliberation, finding
Roberts not guilty of two charges of murder, with
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500,000 reward for information about the murders, and later said he would consider increasing the reward.
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736:"Silk, Miller families 'devastated' after Jason Roberts found not guilty of murdering police officers"
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The police team investigating the murders was code-named Operation Lorimer. Victorian Police Minister
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The Silk–Miller memorial plaque in the garden at the Prahran Police Station, Malvern Road, Prahran
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704:"Jason Roberts walks free after being found not guilty of 1998 murders of two Victoria police"
586:"Jason Roberts, jailed for decades over police murders, leaves court after not guilty verdict"
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655:"IBAC to examine aspects of the Victoria Police investigation into the Silk-Miller murders"
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In May 2007, Debs was convicted of a third murder of a teenager named Kristy Mary Harty in
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262:. On 23 February 2003, Debs and Roberts were found guilty of the murders and sentenced to
242:, faced charges relating to the murders of Silk and Miller as well as 13 other charges of
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426:- Tele-movie dramatizing the events and the subsequent investigation to find the killers.
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341:, the families of the victims said they were "absolutely devastated by the decision".
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238:, and Jason Joseph Roberts, boyfriend of Debs' daughter, an apprentice builder, of
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675:"Jason Roberts's conviction for Silk-Miller murders overturned by Victorian court"
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officers Sergeant Gary Silk and Senior Constable Rodney Miller in Cochranes Road,
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on 20 February 1991. Silk and Miller, operating an unmarked patrol car (callsign
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215:
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53:
630:"Corruption watchdog to hold public hearings into 1998 Silk-Miller murders"
270:; and, during the 2022 retrial of Roberts, he appeared via video-link from
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relating to offences alleged to have occurred between March and July 1998.
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On 23 June 2020, Roberts' retrial was held (VSCA 277), heard by Justice
266:. Debs served part of his sentence at maximum security Victorian prison
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79:
802:"Statement from the Silk and Miller families on the Roberts verdict"
660:(Press release). Independent Broad-Based Anti-Corruption Commission.
617:(Press release). Independent Broad-Based Anti-Corruption Commission.
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At 12:08am on 16 August, Silk and Miller spotted a dark-coloured
907:
Summary of Judgement in the matter of Roberts v The Queen (2020)
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371:) about the crime. Assistant Commissioner of Crime at the time,
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315:. In November 2020, Roberts had his conviction quashed by the
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432:, two Victorian Police officers killed execution-style in
776:"Judge commends Jason Roberts' jury after 'hardest' case"
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Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC)
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On the night of the murders, the police officers were
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Australian police officers killed in the line of duty
854:"Guilty of killing two prostitutes and two policemen"
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234:On 24 September 2001, Debs, a father of five from
90:Sergeant Gary Silk, Senior Constable Rodney Miller
860:. Australian Associated Press. 12 December 2011
681:. Australian Associated Press. 10 November 2020
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759:: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
508:Underbelly Files: Tell Them Lucifer Was Here
423:Underbelly Files: Tell Them Lucifer was Here
254:On 17 February 2003, the trial began in the
734:Jaeger, Adam Cooper, Carla (11 July 2022).
710:. Australian Associated Press. 11 July 2022
540:Breakthrough in police murder investigation
195:and later died of his injuries at 4:39am.
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35:Victims Gary Silk and Rodney Miller
16:1998 murders in Victoria, Australia
800:Kristie Sullivan (11 July 2022).
612:"Background: Operation Gloucester"
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831:Detective 'faces sack' over book
108:.357 magnum, .38 calibre handgun
952:August 1998 events in Australia
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774:Cooper, Adam (11 July 2022).
430:Walsh Street police shootings
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412:in the lives of Victorians.
390:Beaconsfield Upper, Victoria
440:Wieambilla police shootings
258:(VSC 30), heard by Justice
124:Jason Roberts, Bandali Debs
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384:Further convictions – Debs
24:Silk–Miller police murders
957:1998 murders in Australia
947:Victims of serial killers
568: (24 February 2003),
401:Australian rules football
256:Supreme Court of Victoria
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922:1998 crimes in Australia
562:DPP v Debs & Roberts
468:DPP v Debs & Roberts
272:Goulburn Supermax Prison
179:continued the stakeout.
136:Moorabbin Police murders
63:16 August 1998
337:In a statement via the
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236:Narre Warren, Victoria
566:[2003] VSC 30
530: (VSCA 2020).
434:South Yarra, Victoria
360:One Down, One Missing
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323:On 11 July 2022, the
311:, and Acting Justice
299:Jason Roberts retrial
193:Monash Medical Centre
150:, on 16 August 1998.
475: (VSC 2003).
375:, said of the book,
329:Justice Stephen Kaye
292:Operation Gloucester
282:Operation Gloucester
240:Cranbourne, Victoria
932:Murder in Melbourne
523:Roberts v The Queen
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134:(also known as the
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708:the Guardian
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679:the Guardian
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473:1527 30
176:Honda Civic
155:staking out
96:Attack type
916:Categories
864:11 January
451:References
436:, in 1988.
307:, Justice
216:late-model
67:1998-08-16
345:Aftermath
222:criminal
148:Australia
54:Australia
46:Moorabbin
755:cite web
590:ABC News
528: 277
416:See also
409:St Kilda
405:Hawthorn
100:firearms
50:Victoria
41:Location
858:The Age
818:Twitter
812:12 July
785:12 July
780:The Age
745:11 July
740:The Age
714:11 July
685:11 July
639:13 July
634:The Age
596:11 July
230:Arrests
219:Hyundai
161:Murders
121:Accused
105:Weapons
65: (
572:(Vic).
526:,
471:,
403:clubs
367:
113:Deaths
87:Target
80:UTC+10
806:Tweet
658:(PDF)
615:(PDF)
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866:2012
814:2022
787:2022
761:link
747:2022
716:2022
687:2022
641:2022
598:2022
407:and
365:ISBN
130:The
60:Date
274:in
209:A$
918::
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757:}}
753:{{
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
