Ivan Milat (Backpacker Murders)
Ivan Milat was convicted of murdering seven backpackers whose bodies were found in Belanglo State Forest, NSW, Australia. He tortured and killed hitchhikers between 1989 and 1992.
Between 1989 and 1992, Ivan Milat abducted and murdered seven young backpackers in the Belanglo State Forest southwest of Sydney, Australia. His victims were from Australia, Britain, and Germany.
The bodies were discovered in September 1992 when two orienteers found skeletal remains. Over the following months, six more bodies were found in the forest, all showing signs of stabbing, shooting, or blunt force trauma.
Milat was arrested in 1994 after a surviving victim from an earlier attack identified him. A massive search of his property revealed weapons and belongings of the victims.
Milat was convicted of seven murders in 1996 and sentenced to seven consecutive life sentences without parole. He maintained his innocence until his death from cancer in 2019.
Curated starting points for verifying and researching this case. Direct references are checked; search links are provided as further-reading aids. ColdCaseIndex is an index of public information — see a case correction? Email info@coldcaseindex.com.
Have Information About This Case?
Cold cases are solved when someone comes forward. Even a detail that seems minor can matter. If you have any information about this case, contact law enforcement through one of these channels:
- FBI Tips (tips.fbi.gov) — submit a tip online to the Federal Bureau of Investigation
- FBI Tip Line: 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324)
- The local police department or sheriff's office in Australia, or the state bureau of investigation
Tips can usually be submitted anonymously. To report an error on this page, email info@coldcaseindex.com.