Snowtown Serial Killer James Vlassakis Released on Parole After 26 Years
Vlassakis, the youngest of the three murderers in South Australia's notorious 'Bodies in the Barrels' case, has been granted parole.
James Vlassakis, who was convicted for his role in four of South Australia's 'Bodies in the Barrels' murders, has been released on parole after serving 26 years. Vlassakis, 46, was seen leaving the Adelaide Pre-Release Centre on Tuesday to attend a meeting at a community corrections center.
He was driven to the North East Community Corrections Centre in Holden Hill and sported a fresh haircut and a black T-shirt reading 'freestyler.' Vlassakis was involved in the 1990s Snowtown murders, where 11 victims were killed and their remains found stored in plastic barrels, some in hydrochloric acid. He was 18 when he killed his stepbrother David Johnson in an abandoned bank in Snowtown and later his half-brother Troy Youde. He was also involved in the murders of Frederick Brooks and Gary O'Dwyer.
After pleading guilty, Vlassakis became a key witness for the prosecution, helping to secure convictions against co-conspirators John Bunting and Robert Wagner, who are serving life sentences without parole. Accomplice Mark Haydon was released in 2024.
Vlassakis' parole was initially overturned in 2025, but a legal challenge in September paved the way for his transfer to the pre-release center. He will remain in low-security conditions for a year before returning to the community under strict, lifelong parole.
His parole conditions include a ban on entering Snowtown and nine other locations, a prohibition on contacting victims' families or speaking to the media, and a curfew. He will also be subject to drug and alcohol testing and ongoing psychological treatment. Leaving the community corrections center, Vlassakis was confronted by a journalist but refused to answer questions, adhering to his parole conditions.
Prior to his transfer to the pre-release center, Vlassakis was held in protective custody due to his cooperation with authorities. During his time in prison, Vlassakis had a history of drug problems but showed improvement, with only three positive drug tests out of 29. The Parole Administrative Review Commissioner noted Vlassakis' mature age and excellent behavior in custody as factors in his parole approval.