Prince Charming | 7

I don't want to use my real name, so let's just call me Evelyn. So the first seven weeks that I was with Kevin, he was extremely charming, extremely smooth, pedantic in a home, in his personal dress, the way he smelt, the way he looked. You know, there wasn't a hair out of place, and you know he was the epitome of the Prince Charming.

I'm Ashley Hanson.

You're listening to episode seven of Dear Rochelle, a podcast by True Crime Australia. This is the untold story of Rochelle Charles, a twenty three year old who was brutally murdered. Per killer has never been caught. Evelyn met Kevin Stephen Carell when she was thirty eight at a singles mingles party in Sydney. They dated for about six weeks, just over a year after Rochelle's murder. You'll be hearing a lot more from Evelyn and another key witness in this episode.

When did you meet Kevin?

I met Kevin at a singles night in Sydney. He was there with quite a lot of people and one of them turned out to be my uncle.

And how would you describe Kevin?

Extremely smooth, charismatic, attentive, not what you would think, not your average man on a mission. Every time I've seen him, as far as women were concerned, because obviously I didn't date him immediately, he was very like the prince of the party, floating about lighting cigarettes for people and getting drinks and pulling out chairs and all that sort of chivalry.

You're going to hear a lot more about Kevin Correll and allegations about how he attracts women, treats them and reacts when they leave him. Remember, Kevin changed his surname from Cornwall to Correll after being acquitted of multiple sex attacks on young women across Sydney in the nineteen eighties. Kevin has always maintained his innocence over these attacks. This episode focuses on two of his ex girlfriends. You just met Evelyn. The other we're calling Alice another fictitious name.

Me, what was her reaction about that.

I've had one conversation and asked her, and she said it was a very dark.

Time and.

Obviously because she'd had to give evidence a coroner's inquest and that sort of thing, and a lot of intimate details, she said I couldn't go through that again, and so has declined to come to this.

That gives you a bit of an insight into how traumatized she is about that experience in her life.

Yes, it would have had to have played heavily on the mind. And also that it was her partner, very hurtful and yeah, deeply distressing.

Poor.

Remember this is two thousand and two, a year after the murder. Detectors were ramping up their investigation into Kevin's possible involvement. By this time, Kevin had voluntarily participated in two interviews with police. Alison Kevin had broken up and shed just begun dating Colin, but there was a shift in Kevin's behavior when Colin came onto the scene.

Alice had received phone calls from a gentleman who was a previous partner or boyfriend had objected to me being around might spend most of my time at her place at this time, and so I suppose he saw it as a I'd moved in there, and so he objected to that, and then he then started bringing Alice and making abusive phone calls at that time and saying that you know that he objected to her seeing me.

We're going to bounce between Colin and Evelyn's recollections in this episode. Evelyn and Colin's partner Alice both gave evidence at the coronial inquest into Rachelle's death. At the conclusion of the inquest in two thousand and eight, the coroner made an open finding in relation to Rachelle's death.

So, over a few weeks, you know, probably four or five weeks, I went to Sydney with my girlfriends. He would be at the events, of course, because he'd say, oh, I'll see you there, and how it went. So I never stayed at his house or went to his house at all in that time, because obviously I've got children responsibilities. But he did eventually as we dated more, he came up for barbecue three or four times through the week after work at one of the many jobs apparently that

And so what did he tell you about himself when he first met you.

He told me that he was a psychologist, psychiatrist, one or the other. I can't exactly say, but he did. At one barbecue in particular, I had my sister there and he offered to write a script for her for medication for you know, being a little bit depressed or upset or whatever. And I didn't challenge that at all. And then he told me that he worked at a car salle yard on the weekend occasionally for a mate and helped him out. So he disclosed he had those two jobs.

When I was asked Alice about details, that he was mad on these science like detective books where he was very well versed on, you know, how evidence was collected, and I think at some stage he claimed that he was a security worked in security and was armed with a firearm and things like that. It was like he was sort of fixated on that type of darker side of life.

Did he tell Alice that he was a private investigator.

Yeah, yeah, she did mention that to me at one stage. The way you spoke sometimes is thought he's some sort of big time gangster.

And did you believe him that he was a psych car for a stoor a psychologist.

Yeah? I did. Yeah, stupid as that sounds, I did, because the clothing and the mannerism, you know, the jewelry, all the finery went along with that job. You know, I knew he wasn't a truck driver.

And when did it become apparent to you that he wasn't a psychologist or a psychiatrist.

Probably about three or four weeks later. It was when we got invited to a Christmas party that was at planned Hollywood in the city. A beautiful night, very well catered for, and everyone was dressed to the nines, and a lot of the colleagues of his there, friends and what not talked to him and he had a couple of drinks. He was, you know, discussing cars and what's been sold and what hasn't been sold. And I'm thinking,

Do you remember the kinds of things that he was saying to her on the phone that was making her upset.

When I then took the phone and had words with him, he then continued ringing, and they were quite abusive. I tiled him, told him off a couple of times. He then became threatening.

I know in your evidence he said that he threatened to kill you. Is that correct?

Oh?

Yes, he did that on a number of occasions. Yes, he had told me on one occasion that he was involved in some sort of organized crime synding it. The intimated that he had friends who would get rid of me. He'd have his friends take care of me. I'd be

Let's return to Evelyn's recollections of her brief relationship with Kevin, which started over a year after Rochelle's murder. She wanted to stop seeing Kevin after the Christmas party incident, but he would her back in.

So, you know, a few phone calls and big bunches of flowers and I'm so stupid, like I shouldn't have had those drinks. That ridiculous me even saying those things. And so I got past it, you know, because he hadn't touched me or anything. I was very wary from that moment.

During our investigation, we've discovered Kevin moved back to the South Coast not long after Rochelle's murder. He settled into a seaside suburb called Gorilla south of Woollongong. He lived in this area before and wanted Evelyn to come and visit.

He rang and said, look, how about on the weekend I come and pick you up and I drive you to see my home. And I said, oh that's ours away. Oh I don't mind that's okay, and I went, oh, that would be lovely, very pretty. I remember driving down the big road and you could see the whole harbor. So we got to his he said it was house, but it was three units together joined together. Anyway, went into his apartment and you know, he had prawns in

Had big plans for the weekend and she was supposedly getting a vel ss group a otherwise knowed as a walking Shaw.

Rachelle spoke to me on the weekend about getting a vel walking Shaw, but I knew how excited she was about a walking Shaw. She told me that Camden Holden had just bought one and she was getting it as a loan car.

I remember walking Trolls were by far her favorite car.

She told me Kevin was going to loan her the car.

This particular name stuck in my head and I never you know, I didn't think about it again.

We'll further explore Evelyn's claim Kevin shot off a walking Shore in the next episode. Let's continue to listen to Evelyn's account of her visit with her young daughter to Kevin's Whirrila apartment.

So over we went, and probably, I don't know, maybe there was a grassed area and then you went down onto these sort of pebbles on the beach, and I started to feel really unwell, like almost a migrain, but nauseous as well. Then I started to feel very bizarre, like I was not myself, but my headache was like somebody had hit me in the head with a hammer, and I didn't feel right, and I never felt like that in my life, and I knew that it couldn't

Have you ever reflected on your decision to ring your mom in that moment when you thought you'd been drugged, and how things could have been differently if you didn't do that.

Oh?

Absolutely, absolutely, for myself. Sorry for myself, I would have been okay with whatever was the hand that I was to be dealt, but not for my daughter. So I had to fight, you know, And it was hard because I felt really sick, and it wasn't just a normal sick. It was frighteningly sick, and I knew that I had to get out of there or get to someone or

Let's return to Collins interview. He's telling me about threatening phone calls Alice was allegedly receiving from Kevin Correll after they'd broken up. The new couple was suspicious somebody was listening to their private conversations in Alice's home.

What he'd been doing is because I thought it'd be pretty game of somebody to be coming in the front of the house and listening at the front window or at the door, because it'd be fairly risky if somebody was to go out that way. But then I felt what had happened as he'd been coming in through the back fence from the lane way and then coming down the yard and listening there so that people didn't see him.

Going in and out.

And then I sort of surmised then that was how he was listening to the conversations.

What do you think was his motivation to do that?

Oh, just intimidation.

And so you've been dropped off now after this experience. And what happened next, you.

Know, phone call started coming, texting, whatever, and I was very adamant that this was no more. I was not right frightened. When he rang me, it was very sweet and how are you feeling? And da, da da, And I said, look, I'm feeling much better, thank you, and I'm very grateful for you driving me home, and so is my mum and dad. But look, I'm in a position where I have got a very close family and a lot of things to do and sport and not what not with my children, and I really am not

There matters that we had discussed around his past. I found out that he had worked at the Holden Dealers with this Rachelle. At the time that she was killed. Alice had said that she had been questioned about it, and I thought didn't think.

Too much of it at the time.

What colleagues would have been questioned about her movement, So I didn't think too much about it. When she was telling me about his demeanor and his actions at the time, I started to think, this is quite strange and asked.

Her for more details. And so we had.

Discussed it, and then there was another phone call, and then I was warned, you shouldn't have stuck your nose into it.

You know, he'll be dead before long.

Anyway, it came a time that he rang and made threats against my son. So obviously the night before we had been Alice and I had been discussing what we were going to do on the.

Weekend, we take my son to the zoo or something like that.

And then the following night he then rings up and makes threats against my son.

And then that.

Sort of then pretty made it pretty clear that he'd been listening to our conversation at the time, and then I had an argument with him over the phone about this, and then I thought at that time, I said to Alice, we i think we need to go and have a chat with the local police and just let them know what's happening in case he does become more aggressive, because at one time she did say that he had tried to force her off the road when she was believe it was coming home from work one day.

I got very angry and I said, you just keep right away, and don't you dare call my phone again. And with that he said, you're just a prick tease and one of these days they're going to find you slip from the fanny to the throat in a car park debt. I think. I said to him, that's charming, and I hung up, and I called out to my child and said you are to come inside straight away.

It sounds like he was stalking and threatening Alice. And this behavior is incredibly concerning for you as a partner at the time to Alice, what was going through your mind?

I did draw the line when he made threats against against my son. Yeah, that was I thought I was going to have to deal with him then. And that was when I did say enough's enough. Instead of harassing women, which seems to which seems to be your form, I said, and threatening children. I'll meet you somewhere and we'll sort this out right now. And he hung up at that time.

So at that point did you go to the police station? Which police station did you go to? And what happened next?

Pickton Police?

I just wanted to make them aware of what was going on at that time. We went in, introduced ourselves to a constable that was on the counter on the night, and started to tell him about instances that were happening, and he asked for the name. We gave him the name Kevin Correll, and then a sergeant came from a back room and said, excuse me, what was that name that you just said, repeated it, and then he said, I'll take it from here.

I think we need to have a chat.

And probably a couple of days later, I got a phone call from what I was told was his brother but I would probably state my life this conversation with his brother trying to ask me to you know, don't be silly. He would never do anything to you, would never hurt you. He's just angry that you're not together in data DA. I would stake my life that I was talking to Kevin. It was not There's no way it was his brother. And after that I didn't get any more phone cause I think I might have even

What is it about that statement that you think police were particularly interested in.

Not so much about the things that were happening at the time, but caused Alice to go back things that she described to me that I thought were very odd about his actions and his demeanor at that period of time.

And I then.

Started to think he had been using her to at one point when she described on the night that the girl disappeared, that he had been using her for an alibi. And then I thought, had you told the police this before? She had said no. I asked why she hadn't. They hadn't asked me, So I said, I think you need to have a chat to him, and start to give him a few more details, and.

Then it went from there.

Can you specifically recall what it was about what Alice said that made you think someone is using her as an alibi.

His actions on the night going and calling up fairly late to come around for dinner, which he said was out of character. Then there was another incidents where he had come around and he was so distraught about the death of this Rochelle that she felt it was over

A chap to the police.

Those allegations in early two thousand and two prompted police to put an apprehended violence order in place to protect Alice. It was in that same year Evelyn was dating Kevin and learned about Rochelle's debt.

He brought it up in a conversation. He said, I've had a rough day today. I've had to go and give DNA sample. And I went, what a young girl actually at work has been murdered. And I went, oh, my god, that's so frightening. And he said yes, he said she was found and she was burnt, and she used to work at the car sales yard and everybody who worked with her obviously has to give DNA of course, you know, they're trying to find out what's going on.

And what was Kevin's demeanor when he told you this, Oh.

Very somber, like, you know, he was just discussing with me something that happened at work. It wasn't like he was broken hearted or anything. Later on down the track, and I can't remember when I asked these questions. It was starting to bug me. So I sort of said, oh, have you heard any more about that young girl? And

Alice would later tell Colin and police about a worrying trip to the South Coast that she made with Kevin not long after Rochelle had been killed. According to Alice, Kevin drove her through seven Mile Beach at GIRoA, pointing out where Rochelle's burning body had been discovered.

She had told me about an instance where he had taken her for they'd gone for a drive one day and he'd taken it to the site where Rachelle was found. Details that he'd given about it, and in particular, there was one where he had said he had been blaming bikes for it. He'd been sort of pushing that pitch. And then also it was at that time that he said that fingers had been removed, which was a calling

Thought was quite odd one.

How did he know the exact location? And how would he have certain details like that that were not publicized?

How would he have those sorts of details.

She's so young, why would she be involved with bikis?

And did he tell you why he believed that or why he held that view?

No?

What was his demeanor when he was telling you this story about the bikis who?

It was?

Smooth?

He was, you know, cook of spaghetti, I think on the stove, and would you like a cup of coffee? And I actually felt like, Okay, this is this is this is actually all right.

Kevin was blaming bikies to anyone who asked questions about Rochelle's murder. And this was all laid bare at Rochelle's inn quest, which began at Glebe Coroner's Court in Sydney in two thousand and six. Rochelle's initial autops who revealed at least one of her fingers had been detached from her hand, but investigators thought this was a tightly held secret until key witnesses started to tell police information Only investigators and the killer would likely know. So take me

I remember the detectives wringing me and speaking to me about what would happen when I got there and who would be there, and that I was safe and that I wouldn't run into heaven or really anyone else I knew, which I was really happy about. I think they just wanted to make me feel comfortable because I was really scared.

Sorry, because I was looking at a mom and dad.

And I felt sick, and I thought that it wasn't necessary for me to say that the details weren't important, and that's how I thought. And you know, I remember sitting there in that dock looking at them thinking, oh my god, I've got to talk about your baby. This is just like awful. So I gave my statement and it was sorry at my evidence that day, and I remember walking in and my hair was pulled back in a bun, and I had a black suit on with a white blouse underneath and a pair of pearl earrings.

Shocked Evelyn was looking at Alice. It would be the first time Kevin's ex partners would cross parts inside the courtroom during the inquest of Rochelle Charles. It was a surreal moment for both of them.

She'd obviously already seen me. I was allowed to stay in the courtroom because I'd already given my evidence and she was the last person I'm pretty sure of the day.

But in terms of your evidence, so you've finished your evidence, you've sat down, and Alice has got up to give her evidence, and how did that sit with you when you were listening to her elections?

Like quite shocking, but not because it sounded like mine. It was very you know, there was probably more the things that I had said. I did hold back because I was so emotionally distraught over these parents sitting there. It was very eye opening to see this lady up there, but I did feel like I was looking at myself.

Clearly upset about having to do it. And then I wasn't in the room, but there was a conversation between her and Rachelle's family.

And I remember the detectives coming over to me.

Girl.

Detective Heywood asked whether Rachelle's mom and dad could speak to me and.

Alice, and we said yes, of course, And I remember her put her hand over the top of my hand and she said, I'm so.

Glad that you're here to be able to tell your story. She said, I really truly am. And it was heartbreaking. Just all of it was heartbreaking, and it rocked, you know, it rocked my world for a very long time.

And I believe they thanked her for coming forward.

And it ate me away to think that there was things that I you know may have been able to remember, but I tried. But when I was leaving, Detective Haywood said to me, you know you can go and if there's anything at all that you can remember, no matter how difficult it is or how sad you think it's going to make somebody, I need you to call me and I need you to tell me what it is.

It's been a dramatic day and the murder in quest of Rochelle Childs's burnt body was found five years ago on a lonely South Coast road.

Broke my heart. I felt sick that the parents would have to go through that.

The court was told have her body has been exhumed, revealing that one of her fingers was missing.

To my knowledge, no one else had said that.

And one of the few who knew that was the major suspect in the case.

He's now the prime suspect in the murder of Rochelle Child's grandfather of two, Kevin Corell.

So what did Alice say that Kevin would bring up about Rochelle in terms of their relationship.

She did feel that it was odd that he did talk about it quite a bit.

Kevin Corell is the last person of interest and it's a position he'd rather not be in.

But you were left feeling that Alice felt like he had some sort of fixation on Rochelle Yes.

Sitting in the stand.

Kevin Corell was told Rochelle's body has recently been experiened.

How would you describe him from what you know and your experience with him?

He's the devil.

In course, mister Correll's lawyer declared, it's trench warfare.

He's the devil and that is the nicest word that I can use.

On the next episode of Dear Rochelle.

Mister Carell was the witness.

Our purpose is not to trap him unfairly, but to persuade him to tell the truth.

When we went to Leppington to assume her, I wasn't allowed to tell anyone because Kevin did put a rumor out that that's for bik is dear And she was actually with the medical examiner at the time that Kevin was on the stand giving evidence.

The walking Shaw featured heavily in this inquest.

Evan her boss, told her that a walking shaw was coming into the car yard.

He said, oh, come and have a look at my car. I said, it was a walking shaw. Kevin Carrell's got one in the scene a year later in a garret.

Was that ever discovered at the time.

I think that the walking shaw is the key to this.

Dear Rochelle is a multi media production from True Crime Australia. If you want to be one of the first to find out what happens next, go to Dear Roshelle dot com dot a you. That's where eligible Digital News Corp Australia subscribers get early access to podcast episodes and breaking news in our live investigation and you will also find exclusive videos, interactive evidence, feature articles and more. That's de

Special thanks to the Daily Telegraph editor Ben English and dear Rochelle.

Would not be possible without the help and I'm wavering support of Christi and Ann Childs, Mindy Wicks, Damien Loon and Rochelle's friends. This podcast series is hosted and investigated by me Ashley Hanson