The man who murdered Pakenham mother-of-three Kylie Blackwood has been found dead in his maximum-security prison cell.
Scott Murdoch, 43, was convicted to life in prison last year after he pleaded guilty to the murder of Ms Blackwood in 2013.
Murdoch’s body was found around 6am on Monday 19 April at Melbourne Assessment Prison, where he was set to serve his 36-year minimum non-parole period.
A Department of Justice and Community Service spokeswoman said: “A 43-year-old prisoner died at Melbourne Assessment Prison overnight.”
“As with all deaths in custody, the matter has been referred to the Coroner, who will formally determine the cause of death.”
A Victoria Police spokeswoman said it was standard for homicide detectives to investigate deaths in custody.
“The exact circumstances relating to the death have yet to be determined,” the spokeswoman added.
The Dandenong-born man had also been convicted to inflicting intentional serious injury to 72-year-old Ilona Prohaska, an elderly Endeavour Hills woman.
The two “cowardly” stabbing attacks occurred within three months in 2013.
At the time, Murdoch was on parole for a similarly brutal stabbing and bashing of Karen Cheeseman in her Berwick home in 2006.
At the time of his sentencing, Justice Dixon said Murdoch had targeted women alone at home with no chance to escape. He’d shown no interest in their welfare after the attacks.
He’d also stolen his victims’ bank cards, attempting to use them at ATMs soon after the attacks.
Murdoch had tried to cover his tracks, tried to solicit false alibis from third parties and initially denied his involvement to police.
A “brazen” Murdoch attended appointments with his parole officer on the same day as his attack on Ms Prohaska – before and after the event.
