James Vlassakis, the youngest individual imprisoned for the notorious Snowtown killings, is set to be released after serving a 26-year sentence. South Australia's court of appeal upheld the Parole Board's decision for his release on Tuesday.
Vlassakis, who was 18 when he became involved in the killings in 1998, pleaded guilty to four of the 11 murders that occurred between 1992 and 1999. His minimum 26-year term expired in August 2025.
He also served as a key prosecution witness against John Bunting and Robert Wagner, who were convicted of 11 and 10 murders respectively. The bodies of eight victims were discovered dismembered in barrels in a disused bank vault in Snowtown in May 1999.
The South Australian attorney general, Kyam Maher, stated that the Parole Board will soon convene to determine appropriate conditions for Vlassakis's release. These conditions could include electronic monitoring, restrictions on drugs and alcohol, and location limits.