Accused Easey Street killer to stand trial on two counts of murder

Wednesday, 26 November 2025 16:37

Magistrate Brett Sonnet found there was evidence of a sufficient weight to commit him to stand trial before a jury on the two most serious charges.

A magistrate has dismissed a rape charge against a man accused of murdering two women almost half a century ago as there was insufficient evidence.

Perry Kouroumblis was today committed to stand trial in the Supreme Court on two counts of murder over the January 1977 Easey Street killing.

Magistrate Brett Sonnet found there was evidence of a sufficient weight to commit him to stand trial before a jury on the two most serious charges.

Easey Street murder accused Perry Kouroumblis, depicted in a court sketch at Melbourne Magistrates Court on October 29, 2025.

Kouroumblis pleaded "not guilty" to the two charges, as he sat in the court dock flanked by custody officers.

The 66-year-old is accused of stabbing Suzanne Armstrong, 28, and Susan Bartlett, 27, and prosecutors further alleged he had raped Armstrong before the murders.

The two housemates were found dead inside their home on Easey Street in Melbourne's inner suburb of Collingwood on January 13, 1977, by their neighbours.

Armstrong's screaming toddler could be heard by the two women living next door.

Kouroumblis was aged 17 at the time and police also claimed he had "carnal knowledge with Suzanne Armstrong without her consent".

That charge, from the 1970s, would now be known as rape.

However, Sonnet found there was insufficient evidence to support a conviction on that charge as a homicide detective had told the committal hearing Armstrong appeared to have been raped after she was killed.

Former detective Adrian Donehue, one of the first on the scene in 1977, said in October "she was in a classic pose you would expect to see for post-mortem rape, in my view".

Prosecutors today argued to keep the pre-death rape charge in for a jury to decide, but the defence said the charge could not be proven on the evidence.

Sonnet agreed and struck out the rape charge.

Kouroumblis will remain in custody and returns to the Supreme Court on December 17 for a directions hearing.

Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732).