The Murders
3 men were murdered: Jimmy Ryan, George Lloyd and Louis Carron (though there may have been others).
Ryan and Lloyd were poisoned with strychnine. Carron was shot in the head. Their bodies were burned in fires fuelled by kangaroo pelts, the bones crushed in a dolly pot - a metal container commonly used by prospectors.
The method was described in detail in Arthur Upfield’s book The Sands of Windee, published after the murders were committed.
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| 011935d. Courtesy Battye Library |
What started the investigation?
Carron was reported missing when a friend stopped receiving
letters.
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| 011932d. Courtesy Battye Library |
What brought Snowy to Manning’s attention?
Snowy was the last man to see Carron alive. He also drove Ryan’s
truck and burned Lloyd’s accordion - but it was circumstantial and
not enough to secure a guilty verdict.
How was he convicted?
Louis Carron’s gold wedding ring survived the fire and provided the
vital evidence. The ring had a unique fault in the design, and the
jeweler was able to positively identify it.
It was sheer luck.