Double Murderer Died of Natural Causes, Coroner Rules
- A Queensland coroner has ruled that Francis Michael Fahey, a former ambulance officer convicted of murdering two women, died of natural causes while in custody.
- Coroner Terry Ryan found that Fahey, 70, died on April 18, 2023.
- According to the coroner's findings, Fahey had been diagnosed with metastatic melanoma in March 2023.
A Queensland coroner has ruled that Francis Michael Fahey, a former ambulance officer convicted of murdering two women, died of natural causes while in custody.
Coroner Terry Ryan found that Fahey, 70, died on April 18, 2023. The death occurred after Fahey was transferred from prison to a Brisbane hospital due to shortness of breath.
According to the coroner’s findings, Fahey had been diagnosed with metastatic melanoma in March 2023. The cause of death was determined to be natural causes resulting from metastatic cancer, with ischaemic heart disease also contributing to his death.
Inquest and Investigation
Coroner Ryan directed police to investigate the circumstances of the death after Fahey was found on a hospital bed covered in blankets and sheets, without medical equipment attached.
The coroner noted that there were no signs of trauma or any other indications of a suspicious death.
A one-day inquest concluded that Fahey had received adequate health care. The findings stated that the hospital, corrective services, and other inmates did not contribute to his death.
Criminal History and Convictions
Fahey was serving a 25-year sentence, handed down in September 2005, for the murders of two inner-Brisbane sex workers.
The victims were Jasmin Crathern, who was killed in August 2002, and Julie McColl, a New Zealand-born woman murdered six months later in February 2003.
Court proceedings revealed that Fahey used a bayonet, which he kept under the front seat of his utility vehicle, to stab the two women.
Francis Michael Fahey, as reported to police
I obviously stabbed them but I don’t recall at all, andI’ve spent all my f***ing life saving lives and now I’m taking them and I don’t know why.
Legal Implications
Fahey’s crimes led to the closure of a legal loophole in Queensland. This loophole had previously prevented him from being returned to jail following a failed appeal in a separate case involving WorkCover fraud.
Because the Industrial Court was unable to issue an arrest warrant after dismissing his appeal, Fahey remained free, which allowed him to murder Julie McColl in February 2003 when he should have been incarcerated.