‘How can this happen again?’ Man whose brother was murdered in jail just minutes after meeting his cellmate begs for prison reform after the death of another inmate
- At just 24, Craig Behr was seven years into his 10 year prison sentence
- He was beaten to death within half an hour of being transferred to a new cell
- His murderer had told staff about ‘homicidal tendencies’ before he was moved
- Behr’s family say they are devastated that another prisoner has been murdered
The family of a man who was murdered by his cellmate in jail 15 years ago feel like they’re reliving the nightmare after the death of a prisoner in his cell this week.
At just 24, Craig Behr was seven years into his 10 year sentence when he was transferred from Goulburn jail into a cell with Michael Alan Heatley, in Sydney’s Long Bay prison.
Within half an hour of arriving, he was dead.
Heatley admitted to beating Behr to death. He suffered a head injury, inhaled vomit throughout the assault and eventually died when his brain was starved of oxygen.
Prior to Behr moving into his cell, Heatley pleaded with officers to keep him away from other prisoners, 9News reported.
At just 24, Craig Behr (pictured) was seven years into his 10 year sentence when he was transferred from Goulburn jail into a cell with the man who would go on to kill him
He offered them a chilling warning about his ‘homicidal tendencies’ – something he had also conveyed to a prison psychologist – but said his pleas fell on deaf ears.
‘I didn’t want to kill him,’ Heatley told police after the attack.
‘I’m not schizo but I do have a mental problem. I’m homicidal. I’ve told them that for days. Then they tell me this morning that they’re putting this guy with me and I begged them not to but they said they were going to.
‘I told them I’d kill him, but they just said I’m full of s**t.’
Heatley, who was initially in prison for armed robbery, had an additional 18 years added to his sentence.
Craig’s brother Stephen Behr said the most recent alleged murder at Silverwater jail (pictured) in Sydney’s west was a jolt to the system for the whole family
Behr was murdered within minutes of being placed in a new cell at Long Bay prison (pictured) in Sydney
Behr’s family have since moved on. They sat through the coronial inquest into his death, which concluded ‘systemic and individual failures’ were responsible for placing him in his killer’s cell on March 27, 2004.
But his brother Stephen Behr said the most recent alleged murder at Silverwater jail in Sydney’s west was a jolt to the system for the whole family.
‘Fifteen years later, it’s happened all over again,’ Mr Behr said.
‘When I first heard about it two or three days ago, I was in my office and said ‘no, this can’t be right. Can this happen again?” he said.
An inmate has been charged with murder following the death of his cellmate at a Western Sydney correctional facility (pictured)
When police arrived at the facility, they were told a 39-year-old man was found unresponsive in his cell, and despite the efforts of correctives officers and nurses, he was unable to be revived
‘My mother, who I had to console two days ago, she rang me about ten minutes down the track when she heard it on the news.
Mr Behr said ‘the memories have come flooding back.’
Corrective Services NSW are investigating the latest death, in which 35-year-old Matthew Macguire is accused of killing fellow prisoner Ryan Fennell, 39, on Monday night.
Mr Behr said he and his family would be open to speaking with the family of the latest victim.
A review into Corrective Services NSW process has been ordered, and Mr Behr said he and his family hope the recommendations won’t be ignored.