MURDERER Geoffrey Charles Hunt’s house sits unsuspectingly in the state’s North-West.
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Perched on a block of similar one-storey properties, his curtains are always drawn and his car is parked off-site, residents told Fairfax Tasmania this week.
He has changed his name and spends most of his time indoors or in the backyard.
Details identifying Mr Hunt’s address are barred from publication due to a court order made by Coroner Simon Cooper during a coronial inquest into the suspected death of Lucille Gaye Butterworth.
The inquest, which started in May last year and concluded in December, resulted in Mr Cooper this week naming convicted rapist and murderer Mr Hunt as Ms Butterworth’s likely killer almost 47 years ago.
He concluded that Hunt strangled Ms Butterworth after she accepted a lift from the then 26-year-old albino near a bus stop at Claremont on August 25, 1969.
Hunt then likely dumped the aspiring beauty contestant on the southern bank of the Derwent River, past the Lime Kilns area, roughly halfway between Granton and New Norfolk.
Residents of the town in which he now lives say the community has mostly come to terms with a killer living in their midst.
A 40-year resident of Hunt’s street said she first heard about “the murderer” in town about 20 years ago.
“We had lived in the (street) with him for about 20 years and other residents of the (street) had told me years ago 'there's a murderer there',” she said.
“When this all came out, we just made sure the kids were in before dark. It was a little bit scary.
“I think everybody is hoping that he’s going to get locked up, because they want justice.”
When news broke about Mr Hunt’s presence in the town, it unnerved many residents, the woman said.
She said last year there was a confrontation between Mr Hunt and a man inside a business.
Hospitality staff have since refused to serve the killer.
“(One business owner) was actually really unnerved with him coming into the business. But as business owners you couldn't let him not come in.”
At a glance, Hunt’s home looks like an unoccupied housing commission home.
Its dull-coloured door is accompanied by drawn white curtains.
There is no car parked in his garage and a high fence surrounds his backyard.
When this all came out, we just made sure the kids were in before dark.
- A neighbour of Geoffrey Hunt
A knock on his door failed to gain a response on Wednesday, but movement could be heard inside.
“He doesn't have a car out the front,” the neighbour continued.
“He keeps his blinds down all the time. I spoke to one of his neighbours the other day ... She sees him every now and again in the backyard, but otherwise he stays inside.
“We haven't seen him since - not since he hit TV. He hasn't been out and about. He used to walk the street every day.”
On July 5, 1976 – seven years after Ms Butterworth vanished – Mr Hunt raped and murdered 24-year-old car saleswoman Susan Winifred Knight.
After seeing her photo in an advertisement, Mr Hunt phoned her and pretended to be Peter Bennett from Triabunna, feigning interest in a Volkswagen at her workplace.
Days later, Ms Knight drove the Volkswagen to Bridgewater where she met Mr Hunt outside the Derwent Hotel and they took the car for a test drive.
He drove away from Bridgewater on Dromedary Road, up to Church Road, with Ms Knight in the passenger seat.
After hearing concerning car noises, Mr Hunt pulled over and “something just came over him”.
He attacked Ms Knight, chased her into the bush, raped her, and struck her repeatedly in the back of the head with a large rock, killing her.
He covered her body with stones, dead branches and a log, returned the Volkswagen to the Bridgewater area, and then drove home to Station Street in his own car.
Two days later, Mr Hunt was charged.
He pleaded guilty to Ms Knight’s murder and was sentenced to life in prison in 1976.
Two psychiatric evaluations of Mr Hunt’s mental state were conducted, but gave conflicting insights.
One report said the chance of Mr Hunt reoffending was small.
The other labelled him a “sexual psychopath”.
After 24 years in jail, making him one of the longest-serving prisoners at the time, Mr Hunt was released on parole in June 2000.
An 18-year-old resident of Mr Hunt’s new community said rumours about the killer’s presence in the town started again last year.
“There was a little rumour that there was a murderer walking around the streets,” he said.
“I didn’t really know him, as such – I didn’t really know his name or much of what he did, but I did know there was a pretty serious person around here.”
The 18-year-old said the truth behind the rumour of Mr Hunt’s presence took its toll on his female friends.
“I know my friends, they went for walks at night, and then they heard about it and they didn’t go for walks.
“It doesn’t worry me too much, but it’s a different story for girls, of course.”
Police are still investigating Ms Butterworth’s disappearance and are reviewing Mr Cooper’s coronial findings.
Anyone with information about her disappearance is urged to contact Tasmania Police on 131 444, or Crime Stoppers anonymously on 1800 333 000.