Glen Sabre Valance was convicted of shooting his former employer, Richard David Strang, with a rifle while he lay sleeping with his wife. Valance added to his crime by then raping Strang's wife as she lay alongside her husband's body.

It was claimed that Valance should have been acquitted on the ground of insanity.

At this time, public opinion was building against hanging and there was a world trend toward the abolition of capital punishment. Valance was the last man to hang in South Australia and the second to last in Australia.

Glen Sabre Valance was hanged on 24 November 1964.

AdelaideGaol.org.au

Glen Sabre Valance, age 21, was hanged in Adelaide Gaol for the murder of Richard Strang. He was the last man executed in South Australia on November 24 1964.

Motive

Valance claimed he had a grievance with Strang. Valance once worked for Strang but was sacked because Strang accused him of theft. Strang had legal proceeding against him for accusing him of theft. Valance claimed Strang owed him money and it was Strang's fault Valance had his car reprocessed.

Crime

In the early hours of June 16 1964, Glen Valance tied up three station hands at the Koonroon property near Bordertown, South Australia then entered the bedroom of Richard and Suzanne Strang. Valance shot and killed Richard Strang as he slept and then raped his wife. Valance escaped by car and drove towards Adelaide, Mrs Strang called Police and Valance was captured at a road block near Murray Bridge. The rifle was in the car with him.

Trial and Sentence

Valance pleaded insanity but was found guilty and sentenced to death by South Australian state Chief Justice Sir Mellis Napier on September 17, 1964. The Supreme Court of South Australia dismissed his appeal on October 9 and a further application to the High Court of Australia for leave to appeal was rejected on November 9. The death sentence was carried out on November 24.

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