The seven adopted children of a serial killer who murdered ten people, including his seven biological children, say they can’t believe their ‘Poppy Cliff’s’ scary past.
Clifford Cecil Bartholomew, who assumed a new identity as Clifford Palmer, passed away 16 years ago aged 72, but his second family only recently learned about the extent of his killing, The Courier Mail reported.
One of Palmer’s stepsons, Ralph Gray, said his family only knew about the murder of his former wife, who he had apparently caught cheating on him with another man.
The seven adopted children of a serial killer who murdered ten people say they can’t believe their ‘Poppy Cliff’s’ scary past. Ralph Gray (right) said revelations had shocked the family
It was only when the children cleaned out the contents of the family home in Victoria, where Palmer had lived with wife, Merle, for 22 years, they found his old criminal papers.
‘I couldn’t believe it, none of us can. To know the full story is horrendous – he just isn’t the man we thought we knew. He never disrespected our mother and they hardly had a raised voice in more than 20 years together. He was a gentleman. He loved us and we all loved him,’ Mr Gray said.
Palmer shot his wife Heather and their seven children, aged one to 17, along with his sister-in-law and her child in Hope Forest, South Australia on September 6, 1971.
He was initially sentenced to hang but was instead imprisoned for life before being released on parole in 1979.
Clifford Cecil Bartholomew (pictured), who assumed a new identity as Clifford Palmer, passed away 16 years ago, but his second family only recently learned about the extent of his killing
His second wife Merlyn Juliet Palmer died in 2012, aged 83, after marrying Palmer in 1983.
Her children believed their mother, a devout Christian, was motivated by her faith which transferred into a willingness to ‘save the soul’ of Palmer.
Son-in-law Roy Djurovitch, who learned of his murderous past after marrying Merle’s daughter, Philomine, said he too was shocked at Palmer’s heinous crimes.
‘We all knew something or other about Cliff but it all became more evident clearing up Merle’s belongings when we found his (prison) discharge papers,’ he said
‘He served his time and you have to forgive. But with what we’ve read now..if you knew the guy that we knew you’d never think it for one moment what he actually did.’
Son-in-law Roy Djurovitch (right), who learned of his murderous past after marrying Merle’s daughter, Philomine (left), said he too was shocked at Palmer’s heinous crimes
Mr Djurovitch said in the time Palmer was with Merle, he trusted him with his own children and never thought the elderly man was capable of hurting anyone.
Noeleen Paltridge was at the family’s Fathers’ Day gathering just hours before the murders – but had a lucky escape when her stepbrother drove her away from Bartholomew’s farmhouse instead of staying the night because ‘something wasn’t right.’
She has been living in fear ever since, worried that her uncle would come after her to complete his crime.
After finding out about his death, the 55-year-old previously told the publication she hoped he died a ‘horrible death’ as his family suffered.
Palmer shot his wife Heather and their seven children aged one to 17 along with his sister-in-law and her child in Hope Forest, South Australia on September 6, 1971
Ms Paltridge wished she had the opportunity to ask Palmer questions ‘face-to-face’ before he died.
She said she was shocked the killer had remarried and that his release was a terrible mistake.
Bartholomew was said to have killed his wife after their relationship broke down when a younger man moved into their house.
She denied having an affair but Bartholomew’s jealousy built up until he exploded with rage and killed her with a 22-caliber single-shot rifle.
It was said he killed the children because ‘he could not bear to leave them behind.’
Bartholomew’s killings are the worst incidence of a mass family killing in Australia.