Notorious child murderer Bevan Spencer von Einem dies while serving life sentence

Convicted South Australian murderer Bevan Spencer von Einem has died while serving a life sentence for murder.

The 79-year-old's death was confirmed by South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas this morning.

Einem was jailed for life for the murder of the son of former Adelaide Nine News presenter Rob Kelvin, 15-year-old Richard Kelvin, in 1983.

READ MORE: Sydney to swelter through more heatwave conditions as nine regions face total fire bans

He was also suspected of murdering Alan Barnes, Peter Stojanov, Neil Muir and Mark Langley.

The 79-year-old was suspected of committing his heinous crimes with others in a group known as "The Family", but no one has ever been charged.

In a statement posted to X, Malinauskas has said "his death does nothing to erase the murder and torture he inflicted on innocent lives".

The full statement:

The Department for Correctional Services has advised me of the death of Bevan Spencer Von Einem.

His death marks the end of a life defined by calculated brutality. His crimes stand among the most horrific ever committed in South Australia, acts of deliberate cruelty that destroyed lives and inflicted trauma that will echo for generations.

Convicted of murdering teenager Richard Kelvin and long suspected of further horrific murders, he leaves behind a legacy of devastation for victims' families that can never be undone.

Most unforgivably, he refused to co-operate with South Australia Police. He had every opportunity to assist investigators, to confirm what so many long believed, that he was responsible for the murder of other young men and to help bring other perpetrators to justice.

READ MORE: Man fighting for life after an alleged assault outside hotel in Sydney's south

Instead, he chose silence, callous, deliberate silence, denying victims' families even the faintest chance of closure. His decision to take critical information to the grave is an act of cruelty in its own right.

His death does nothing to erase the murder and torture he inflicted on innocent lives, nor does it ease the anger and grief carried by the families of his victims whose lives were shattered by his actions.

The greatest tragedy is that they may never know the full truth because of his deliberate and selfish silence.

Today, my thoughts are with the families of his victims. Their strength in the face of unimaginable suffering deserves our deepest respect and support.

DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play.