The Goulburn Valley was put on high alert as police spent three days searching for a fugitive armed with a gun in September.
The search for Stanley Turvey included him hijacking cars and threatening strangers with guns.
The incident started in Katandra West, before he led police in chase through Youanmite, Finley, Yarrawonga and Tatura, before the chase came to a dramatic conclusion in Ardmona.
Police investigations have uncovered the desperate flight of gunman Stanley Turvey as he attempted to evade police.
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The trouble started at Katandra West on Monday, September 18 when Turvey was approached by police who wanted to separate him from the guns he was thought to be carrying.
But the chase ended in Ardmona on September 20, when Turvey waved a gun at police and the police Special Operations Group shot him dead.
He had led police on a chase across northern Victoria and into southern NSW as he hijacked cars, threatened strangers with guns and accosted random citizens.
The details were revealed in a court hearing in October, as police outlined the summary of evidence collected so far. Further details and a broader picture are expected to emerge when investigations are complete for an inquest next year.
On September 18, detectives went looking for Turvey in Katandra West, having received information that he had a sawn-off shotgun.
Turvey had a long list of prior convictions for assault, family violence, sex offences, armed robbery and illegal possession of a firearm.
In their search for him, officers attended a property in Union Rd.
According to police, as the officers approached the front door of the house, they saw Turvey run out the back door and enter a rear bungalow, which he locked. He then retrieved a double-barrel sawn-off shotgun before returning to the front door and pointing the gun at them.
Investigators directed Turvey to get back and drop the firearm, at which point he placed the shotgun barrel under his chin and threatened to shoot himself. The police immediately retreated and sought cover.
Turvey then left the bungalow with the shotgun, walked into the house and then walked out on to Union Rd.
He again approached the officers, holding the shotgun. He pointed it in various directions while continually threatening to kill himself.
He demanded police give him a cigarette, but they encouraged him to disarm himself to allow for a cigarette to be provided. Turvey refused. He then discharged one shot from the shotgun into the air.
Crash: A police car rolled during the search for Stanley Turvey at Marungi.
Turvey took a car from the property but ran off the road into a fence on Benalla-Tocumwal Rd, Youanmite.
He entered the property, produced the shotgun and demanded the woman living there drive him to Finley in NSW.
The woman was home with her 18-year-old daughter at the time and persuaded Turvey to allow her to call her husband, who returned to the property and agreed to drive Turvey to NSW to ensure the safety of his wife and daughter.
Turvey was then driven to a house in Finley, NSW. After leaving that location, the driver of the vehicle reported the incident.
Unaware of the police pursuit, Turvey’s cousin drove him to Yarrawonga and dropped him off at the Yarrawonga Riverlands Tourist Park, where he booked a cabin for two nights and paid in cash.
Around this time, the SOG arrived in Shepparton to assist police in the search for the wanted man.
Around 9.30am on Tuesday, September 19, two electricians were at a premises in Brears Rd, Yarrawonga, when they were approached by Turvey, who produced his shotgun, demanded clothing and requested to be driven into central Yarrawonga.
They drove him into town and dropped him off at the skate park on Hunt St. After leaving, they reported the incident to police.
Turvey was next seen at a worksite at Sacred Heart College in Yarrawonga and initially told a couple of workers he needed a lift to Cobram or keys to a car.
Details: Eastern Region Acting Assistant Commissioner Karen Nyholm.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
He produced the shotgun and, when making his demands, punched one of the workers, who fell to the ground.
One of the workers gave Turvey the keys to a Toyota HiLux, and Turvey drove off.
Turvey was next seen in Service St, Tatura, and the next day, September 20, visited a house in Archer St, Shepparton.
Turvey next sought help from a house in Mooroopna. This request was refused, so he was driven to a house in Turnbull Rd, Ardmona.
The female occupant was known to Turvey.
By now, the SOG had been joined by the Police Air Wing, State Surveillance Unit, Armed Crime Squad, Fugitive Squad and both uniformed officers and detectives from Shepparton.
Acting on tip-offs, four SOG officers went to the Ardmona property, where they saw the woman resident appear at the front door.
Investigation: The scene where gunman Stanley Turvey was shot dead by police at Ardmona.
Photo by
Monique Preston
While she was walking towards the police in the driveway of the property, Turvey appeared at the front door and, armed with a shotgun, moved towards the officers and ignored requests to drop the gun.
According to police witnesses, Turvey moved towards the police, pointed his gun at his own head and uttered words to the effect that either he would shoot them or they would shoot him.
When he pointed the gun towards the woman and a police officer, one of the SOG officers fired his rifle multiple times at Turvey. Simultaneously, another officer discharged his Taser at Turvey.
After Turvey collapsed, a police officer administered first aid until a MICA ambulance officer arrived, but Turvey could not be revived.
An inquest is likely to be held in 2024.
Manhunt map: Seven towns and two states were caught up in the hunt for wanted man Stanley Turvey.
