Perry Kouroumblis: ‘Additional time’ request granted for DNA analysis in alleged Easey St killer case

The man police allege killed two young housemates in a shocking 1977 attack has returned to court months after his extradition from Italy. Perry Kouroumblis, 65, made a brief appearance in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday afternoon via a videolink from prison. Gone was the bushy grey beard he sported during his first court appearance on December 4, with the accused man now appearing with a clean shave and well-kept hair. Magistrate Brett Sonnet was told both the prosecution and defence were jointly seeking the case be adjourned off until early June to give both parties time to wrap their heads around DNA analysis. “We received a couple of thousand of pages last week of DNA analysis,” defence lawyer Bill Doogue said. “We need some additional time.” Mr Sonnet said he was prepared to adjourn but urged parties to give the case their “highest priority”. The magistrate told Mr Kouroumblis his lawyers would be in contact to discuss what comes next. “That’s it?” the accused man asked. “That’s it, yes,” Mr Sonnet replied. Mr Kouroumblis was detained after arriving in Italy from his home in Greece in September last year on an international warrant Victoria Police had issued back in 2020. He did not contest an extradition back to Melbourne and maintained his innocence. Police allege he murdered Suzanne Armstrong, 27, and Susan Bartlett, 28, sometime between January 10 and January 13, 1977 — in what would later come to be known as the Easey St killings. The two women were high-school friends from Benalla in Victoria’s northeast and moved in together just weeks before their deaths. They were found days later with dozens of stab wounds while Ms Armstrong’s 16-month-old son, Gregory, was left unharmed. Mr Kouroumblis is also charged with “having carnal knowledge with Suzanne Armstrong without her consent”. Mr Kouroumblis was remanded into custody and will return to court on June 3.