Australian television chef Willi Koeppen – who disappeared on 29 February 1976 – is now suspected to be a victim of one of Victoria’s most well-known murderers, Greek-Australian ‘BBQ King’ Alex Tsakmakis.
The Koeppen family is requesting that police reopen the case, as facts discovered after the tragic event have suggested that it could be solved upon further investigation.
Testimony taken from Mark ‘Chopper’ Read, who was imprisoned at Pentridge with Tsakmakis, reveals that he spoke of Koeppen while in prison.
Read said Tsakmakis was “up to his neck” in Koeppen’s disappearance. “I can’t remember whether Alex said he did that one or had it contracted out,” explained Mr. Read.
Read is not the only connection to Tsakmakis who has suggested he played a role in the disappearance of the celebrity TV chef of the 1980s. Koeppen’s son Andrei has admitted that Tsakmakis’ daughter came into contact with his mother to “kind of apologise…a year or two back”. “We think she also wanted to reconcile the history of her father,” Mr Koeppen said.
After years of contemplation over the case, Andrei Koeppen has connected the disappearance with Tsakmakis as a result of the fact that six escorts arrived at his Cuckoo Restaurant the day after he disappeared. He claims that these women could be the link between his father and Tsakmakis.
Although Tsakmakis has been convicted of only two killings – including that of professional runner Bruce Lindsay Walker in 1978 (allegedly over a dispute involving a vintage 1935 Plymouth car) – he is suspected of being involved in eight more murders.
In July 1988, Russell St bomber Craig Minogue savagely beat Tsakmakis to death in Pentridge.
See all the latest news from Greece and the world at Greekreporter.com. Contact our newsroom to report an update or send your story, photos and videos. Follow GR on Google News and subscribe here to our daily email!
