Twenty-four-year-old Samantha Mizzi was a woman facing immense challenges. Originally from Maldon in central Victoria, Australia, she had moved to Castlemaine, where she was trying to rebuild her life. As a single mother, Samantha was determined to provide for her daughter, Tanille, and her son, Steven. However, she was battling a heroin addiction that began when she was just sixteen years old. To support her children and fund her addiction, Samantha occasionally made money as a sex worker in St. Kilda, Melbourne’s notorious red-light district, during the 1990s.
On March 28th, 1994, Samantha traveled from Castlemaine to St. Kilda, leaving her children in the care of a friend. Her goal was to earn money to cover school fees and other bills. This was not an uncommon trip for her, but it would tragically be her last.
Samantha’s movements on March 29th are well-documented, providing a haunting timeline of her final hours. Around eight thirty p.m., she visited an amusement center near the intersection of Inkerman Street and Brighton Road. There, she ordered a chocolate milkshake and asked the manager if she could leave her bags until early the next morning. After finishing her drink, she donned a black jacket and headed back to the streets.
By nine fifty p.m., Samantha was seen standing on the west side of Brighton Road, near Blanche Street, speaking with an unknown man. Witnesses described the man as being between forty and forty-five years old, approximately six feet tall, with a thin build and short grey hair. The pair appeared to be familiar with each other, engaging in a brief conversation before walking off together toward Blanche Street.
Between ten p.m. and ten thirty p.m., local residents reported hearing a woman scream three or four times. It is believed these screams were Samantha’s, as she endured a horrific attack. Around eleven p.m., another sex worker, known only as Tiffany, was in a parking lot at the rear of an office building at 333 Brighton Road. She heard a “husky, deep breathing choking-type groan” and discovered Samantha, barely alive, in the undergrowth. Samantha had been severely beaten with a blunt object, her skull fractured so badly that fragments were embedded in her brain. She was naked, her clothing and jewelry stolen, and she had been sexually assaulted.
Samantha was rushed to the Alfred Hospital, but her injuries were too severe. She passed away ten hours later, on the morning of March 30th.
Victoria Police’s Homicide Squad launched an extensive investigation into Samantha’s murder. Several leads emerged, but none have led to an arrest. The man seen speaking with Samantha on Brighton Road remains a key person of interest, but his identity is still unknown. Police also questioned Samantha’s former partner and a known “street crawler” who was acting strangely in the area that night, but no charges were filed.
The 1990s were a dangerous time for sex workers in St. Kilda, with at least seven murdered since 1990. Some speculate that Samantha’s murder may be linked to these other cases, though police have not confirmed any connections. The possibility of DNA evidence from the sexual assault has been raised, but it is unclear whether viable samples were recovered or if they have been tested with modern forensic technology.
Victoria Police have made repeated public appeals for information, including in 2021 and 2025, emphasizing their commitment to solving the case. Despite their efforts, however, more than three decades have passed, and Samantha Mizzi’s brutal murder is still unsolved.
Crime Immemorial 