Glen Sabre Valance

Glen Sabre Valance
Born 11 February 1943
Died 24 November 1964(1964-11-24) (aged 21)
Adelaide Gaol, Thebarton, South Australia
Occupation Station Hand
Criminal status Executed by hanging
Conviction(s) Murder

Glen Sabre Valance, age 21, was hanged in Adelaide Gaol for the murder of Richard Strang. He was the last man executed in South Australia on 24 November 1964.

Born Graham Paul Fraser,[1] he changed his name as a teenager, to Glen Sabre Valance, after Liberty Valance, the title character of a 1962 western film.[2]

Motive

Valance claimed he had a grievance with Strang. Valance once worked for Strang but was sacked because Strang accused him of theft. Strang had legal proceeding against Valance accusing him of theft while Valance claimed Strang had owed him the money and it was Strang's fault he had his car repossessed.

Crime

In the early hours of 16 June 1964, Glen Valance tied up three station hands at the Koonroon property near Bordertown, South Australia then entered the bedroom of Richard and Suzanne Strang. Valance shot and killed Richard Strang as he slept and then raped his wife. Valance escaped by car and drove towards Adelaide, Mrs Strang called Police and Valance was captured at a road block near Murray Bridge. The rifle was in the car with him.

Trial and Sentence

Valance pleaded insanity but was found guilty and sentenced to death by South Australian state Chief Justice Sir Mellis Napier on 17 September 1964. The Supreme Court of South Australia dismissed his appeal on 9 October and a further application to the High Court of Australia for leave to appeal was rejected on 9 November. The death sentence was carried out on 24 November.[3]

Cited references

References

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