A Catholic priest seen outside the bookshop where a Melbourne mum was brutally slain remains a key suspect because he had motive, proximity and opportunity, a coroner has found.
But the coronial inquest into the murder of Maria James in her Thornbury bookshop four decades ago has failed to find her killer. Ms
James was stabbed 68 times in her bedroom at the back of her Thornbury bookshop in June 1980.
She was on the phone to her ex-husband just before 12pm when he heard screaming and rushed to the High Street property, where he discovered her body.
No one was ever charged over the 38-year-old single mother’s brutal murder.
Coroner Caitlin English handed down her findings on Thursday after a lengthy inquest into the single mum’s death and found “persons unknown” killed her and made an open finding.
The murdered woman’s two sons – Adam and Mark – were in court and listened intently as the coroner read out her finding.
Six persons of interest were named at the inquest, including local priests Father Anthony Bongiorno and Father Thomas O’Keefe.
The coroner found Father Bongiorno the priest – who has since died – remained a key person of interest.
“He had both the motive, proximity and opportunity,” Coroner English said of the priest.
His alibi was discredited, witnesses saw him outside the bookshop both before and immediately afterxjmtzyw Mrs James death, she said.
The brothers wanted another inquest after her youngest son Adam James revealed bombshell new evidence in 2013.
Mr James – who has cerebral palsy and Tourette’s Syndrome – told his mother that Fr Bongiorno sexually abused him.
Another key suspect who was eliminated too early in the investigation was Peter Keogh, who brutally killed his girlfriend in 1987, the coroner found.
“[Keogh] was quickly eliminated without proper grounds,” Coroner English said.
The convicted killer also attacked a woman in 1970 and committed suicide in 2001, the court was told.
The “greatest failure” in the investigation was the loss of key clues including two pillow slips and the clothes Mrs James was wearing when she was killed, Coroner English found.
Others named as suspects included Telecom employee Lyle Perkins, Mario Falcucci and murderer Peter Keogh.
The only living person of interest is Mrs James’ married lover, Peco Macevski, who was hospitalised during the inquest and did not give evidence.
He denied having anything to do with his former lover’s death.
“This inquest has been confronting, dry and complex at times, and it is certainly a testament to your commitment to finding justice for your mum that you attended every day,” Ms English told the men during the inquest last year.
“There may not be peace or justice for you and Maria … but there is an active investigation and the perpetrator may be discovered,” she previously said.
An earlier inquest held in 1982 found an unknown person killed Ms James.
