Kathleen Mary Severino was born in 1917 and had lived a life marked by hard work and family dedication. A widow, she raised three children on her own while working full-time to support them. By 1987, she was enjoying a well-earned retirement in a rented weatherboard home at 113 Drummond Street South in Ballarat, Victoria, Australia. She was a beloved grandmother, and her modest lifestyle reflected her unassuming nature. Living alone, she maintained close ties with her family, who visited regularly.
On December 31st, 1987, New Year’s Eve, seventy-year-old Kathleen was last seen alive standing outside her home shortly before eight p.m. It was a typical summer evening in Ballarat, with the city preparing for New Year’s celebrations.
There were no indications of anything amiss—Kathleen appeared to be going about her routine, perhaps enjoying the mild weather before settling in for the night.
Investigators believe Kathleen was murdered sometime between ten thirty and eleven thirty p.m. She was savagely assaulted in her bedroom, suffering severe head injuries from a brutal beating. The attack was described as horrific, with evidence suggesting it may have stemmed from a burglary gone wrong. Her home was ransacked—drawers pulled out, belongings scattered—but curiously, nothing appeared to have been stolen. This detail has puzzled detectives, raising questions about the motive.
The following morning, on January 1st, 1988, Kathleen’s daughter Glenda and son-in-law arrived at the house for a planned visit. What they discovered was every family’s nightmare: Kathleen’s body in her bedroom, the scene of unimaginable violence. Emergency services were called, but it was too late—Kathleen had succumbed to her injuries overnight.
Victoria Police launched an immediate investigation into the homicide. The Homicide Squad has revisited the case multiple times over the years, conducting thorough reviews in hopes of uncovering new leads. Early on, the focus turned to the possibility of a local burglar active in Ballarat during the late 1980s, given the ransacked state of the home.
A significant development came in July 1990 when a nineteen-year-old man was charged with Kathleen’s murder. However, the charges were withdrawn before trial after a key witness recanted their evidence, leaving the case in limbo. That suspect died in 2017 from a medical incident, but he and one of his former associates remain persons of interest. Detectives have expressed confidence that those responsible may have already been identified through past inquiries, and they believe community members hold crucial information that could crack the case.
Witness accounts have played a pivotal role, though limited. Around the time of the murder, a witness reported seeing a male and a female in the vicinity of Kathleen’s home. This sighting has been a focal point, but no definitive links have been established.
In January 2021, Victoria Police announced a $1 million reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for Kathleen’s murder. This incentive remains active, though as of this writing in 2025, there have been no significant developments in the case.
Crime Immemorial 