Content note: This article contains references to child murder and sexual violence.
On 25 November 2025, South Australians woke to confirmation that one of the state’s most notorious killers, Bevan Spencer von Einem, is believed to be in the final stages of his life – and that the name of his victim’s father, veteran newsreader Rob Kelvin, is suddenly trending online for reasons that have nothing to do with finance or markets. [1]
The developments have reopened deep wounds for the family and friends of 15‑year‑old murder victim Richard Kelvin, while also raising questions about how true‑crime fascination, media nostalgia and search trends intersect in the digital age.
What We Know Today: Von Einem Moved to Yatala Prison Infirmary and “Has Short Time to Live”
According to reporting by ABC News, 79‑year‑old Bevan Spencer von Einem has been transferred from Port Augusta Prison to the infirmary at Yatala Labour Prison in Adelaide and is understood to have only a short time left to live. [2]
Key details confirmed so far:
- Von Einem was moved from Port Augusta Prison, where he has been held since 2007, to Yatala Labour Prison on Monday local time. [3]
- He is reportedly in a serious condition, with state authorities and media describing him as near death. [4]
- Deputy Premier Kyam Maher told ABC Radio that few in the community would feel remorse at von Einem’s passing, reflecting long‑standing public horror at his crimes. [5]
Other outlets, including commercial TV networks and online news services, have also reported that von Einem was rushed by ambulance from Port Augusta to the Yatala prison hospital or infirmary, describing him as being on his “deathbed”. [6]
The Crime That Still Haunts Adelaide: Who Was Richard Kelvin?
The renewed focus stems from von Einem’s conviction for the 1983 kidnap, torture and murder of 15‑year‑old Richard Kelvin, the son of respected Nine News Adelaide presenter Rob Kelvin. [7]
Key facts about the case:
- Richard was last seen in June 1983, near his home in North Adelaide, after walking his friend Karl Brooks to a bus stop. [8]
- Police believe Richard was held captive for around five weeks at an unknown location. [9]
- His body was discovered near a rural airstrip at Mount Crawford in the Adelaide Hills on 24 July 1983. Forensic tests showed he had been drugged, sexually assaulted and violently injured. [10]
- Von Einem was arrested later that year and convicted in 1984, receiving a life sentence with a non‑parole period that was eventually extended to 36 years. [11]
The killing became the centrepiece of what the media and investigators later referred to as the “Family Murders” – a cluster of unsolved murders of young males in Adelaide in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Von Einem has only ever been convicted of Richard Kelvin’s murder but has long been suspected of involvement in other cases. [12]
“Family Murders” and Fears He’ll Take Secrets to the Grave
South Australian police and Crime Stoppers have previously stated they believe more than one offender was involved in Richard’s murder and that the crime is related to other high‑profile killings of young men, collectively known as the Family Murders. [13]
Victims believed to be linked include:
- Alan Barnes
- Neil Muir
- Peter Stogneff
- Mark Langley [14]
These cases share disturbing patterns: abduction, drugging, sexual assault and the dumping of bodies in remote or semi‑remote locations. [15]
Criminologist Associate Professor Xanthé Mallett told ABC Radio Adelaide that a “deathbed confession” is unlikely, arguing that von Einem’s personality profile suggests he feels neither guilt nor remorse and is likely to keep any secrets to himself. [16]
For families who have waited decades for answers, the news that he may be close to death raises a cruel prospect: that any information connecting him to other unsolved murders could die with him.
The Voice of a Friend: Karl Brooks Speaks Out Again
Another focus of today’s reporting is Karl Brooks, described as Richard Kelvin’s best friend and the last person to see him alive before his abduction. [17]
While the full AdelaideNow article featuring Brooks is behind a paywall, teaser text and related coverage indicate that:
- Brooks has spoken publicly about Richard’s death on several occasions, including in the true‑crime podcast Debi Marshall Investigates: Frozen Lies, where he described the night Richard disappeared and the trauma that followed. [18]
- In the context of von Einem’s deteriorating health, Brooks is again reflecting on his friend’s life, his own enduring grief and his hopes that more answers could still emerge – even while he remains sceptical that von Einem will ever cooperate with investigators. [19]
For people like Brooks, each new headline about von Einem isn’t just a crime update. It is a direct line back to a winter night in 1983, to a missing boy and to a life permanently divided into “before” and “after”.
Why “Rob Kelvin News” Is Suddenly Trending — and Why Markets Don’t Care
As human interest in the case surged, financial‑data platform Meyka detected a sharp rise in searches for “Rob Kelvin news” and related terms on 25 November 2025. [20]
Its analysis is important for one specific reason: it confirms there is no associated impact on financial markets.
According to Meyka:
- The spike in “Rob Kelvin” searches appears driven by renewed media coverage of Richard Kelvin’s murder and von Einem’s imminent death, not by any business, corporate or economic news about Kelvin himself. [21]
- Alternative‑data tracking and market‑sensitivity screens show no meaningful change in stock prices, volumes or sector moves attributable to this trend. [22]
- The phenomenon sits firmly in the realm of cultural memory and legal history, not in that of trading signals or investor sentiment. [23]
In other words, true‑crime fascination and media nostalgia are driving public attention—not money. For investors, the name “Rob Kelvin” is showing up in headlines and search bars, but not on trading desks.
Why This Story Is Resonating Again in 2025
Several forces are making the Kelvin case and von Einem’s name resurface so powerfully right now:
- A Notorious Figure Near Death
After more than four decades behind bars, news that von Einem is likely in his final days brings a natural surge in public interest, along with renewed calls for any last‑minute cooperation with police. [24] - Unresolved Questions Around the Family Murders
With several suspected linked murders still unsolved, families and advocates are acutely aware that this may be the final chance for a confession or fresh lead. [25] - The Legacy of a Public Family
Because Richard was the son of well‑known newsreader Rob Kelvin, the case has always had a national profile that blends crime reporting with the story of a grieving media family. [26] - True‑Crime Culture and Digital Discovery
Podcasts, documentaries and long‑form investigations – including those featuring Karl Brooks – have introduced the Kelvin case to new generations. As snippets circulate on social media, Google Discover feeds and YouTube clips, each new news break can trigger a feedback loop of searches and recommendations, especially when an offender’s health suddenly declines. [27]
Emotional and Legal Stakes as Time Runs Out
For victims’ families, the legal and emotional stakes are very different from the public’s morbid curiosity.
- For the Kelvin family, von Einem’s approaching death closes the book on any possibility of an apology or acknowledgement from the man convicted of killing their son.
- For the families linked to suspected Family Murder victims, there is still a faint hope that, even now, a statement could help tie loose threads together, even if it comes too late for formal prosecutions. [28]
- For friends like Karl Brooks, each headline is another reminder of a lost teenager and a lifetime of what‑ifs. [29]
South Australia’s Deputy Premier put words to a widely held sentiment when he said that many would feel no sorrow at von Einem’s death, calling every day he is no longer on the planet “a good day”. [30] Yet for some families, the day he dies without speaking may also be the day some answers disappear forever.
Media, Memory and Markets: Keeping the Lines Clear
The Meyka analysis underlines a crucial point for anyone interpreting trends and headlines:
- Not every trending name has economic meaning – sometimes a surge in searches is simply about collective memory, justice and unresolved trauma. [31]
- In this case, “Rob Kelvin news” is a proxy for renewed interest in one of Australia’s most infamous child‑murder cases, not for corporate news that might affect share prices. [32]
For newsrooms, platforms and readers, separating human impact from market impact matters.
For the Kelvin family and others touched by the Family Murders, today’s developments aren’t abstract trends at all – they are the latest chapter in a story they never chose to be part of.
This article reflects information available as of 25 November 2025. Details may change as authorities and media outlets provide further updates.
References
1. www.abc.net.au, 2. www.abc.net.au, 3. www.abc.net.au, 4. www.abc.net.au, 5. www.abc.net.au, 6. au.news.yahoo.com, 7. www.abc.net.au, 8. www.abc.net.au, 9. www.abc.net.au, 10. www.abc.net.au, 11. en.wikipedia.org, 12. www.abc.net.au, 13. www.abc.net.au, 14. www.abc.net.au, 15. www.adelaidenow.com.au, 16. www.abc.net.au, 17. www.adelaidenow.com.au, 18. podcasts.apple.com, 19. www.news.com.au, 20. meyka.com, 21. meyka.com, 22. meyka.com, 23. meyka.com, 24. www.abc.net.au, 25. www.abc.net.au, 26. en.wikipedia.org, 27. podcasts.apple.com, 28. www.abc.net.au, 29. www.adelaidenow.com.au, 30. www.abc.net.au, 31. meyka.com, 32. meyka.com
