Speeding ticket may have saved teen from suspected Milat encounter

A New South Wales man has told a parliamentary inquiry into unsolved murders and missing persons that he believes a traffic stop saved his life after being picked up by someone he now suspects was serial killer Ivan Milat during the mid-1970s.

Steven Clark, who has submitted evidence to the state's missing persons inquiry, recounted how he and a friend decided to hitchhike from Warilla to Wollongong in 1974 or 1975 after missing their bus. The encounter, which ended abruptly when police pulled over the vehicle for speeding, has remained etched in his memory for nearly five decades.

A chance decision with potentially fatal consequences

"My friend decided maybe we should hitchhike, and I sort of went along with it," Mr Clark told the ABC. The two teenagers, then aged 14 or 15, had walked only a short distance along Shellharbour Road when a two-door sedan stopped to pick them up.

What should have been a routine ride to the cinema took an ominous turn. The driver, whom Mr Clark now believes was Milat based on distinctive physical features, was travelling at excessive speed when police conducted a traffic stop.

"This two-door sedan is speeding, and it slams on its brakes," Mr Clark recalled of the moment that would prove pivotal to his survival.

Distinctive features embedded in memory

The protruding teeth and moustache of the driver have remained vivid in Mr Clark's recollection across the intervening decades. These identifying characteristics align with known descriptions of Milat, Australia's most infamous serial killer, who murdered at least 11 backpackers and hitchhikers around the Belanglo State Forest south of Sydney during the 1980s and early 1990s.

Whilst Milat died in 2019, questions persist about whether his killing spree extended further back in time or whether additional victims remain unaccounted for. Mr Clark's account adds weight to theories suggesting Milat may have targeted hitchhikers across a longer timeframe than previously established.

Contributing to a broader investigation

Mr Clark's submission forms part of a comprehensive state parliamentary inquiry examining unsolved disappearances and murders across New South Wales. The inquiry has already scheduled its first formal hearing in Bowral, with the Belanglo State Forest—the burial ground for several confirmed Milat victims—being visited as part of the investigation process.

The inquiry is accepting submissions from members of the public who believe they have relevant information regarding cold cases or potential connections to known killers. Mr Clark's account demonstrates how anecdotal evidence, even from decades past, may provide investigators with fresh perspectives on historical disappearances.

The role of chance in criminal investigations

The incident illustrates how seemingly minor events—in this case, a speeding ticket—can have profound consequences. Had police not intercepted the vehicle, Mr Clark and his friend may have become additional victims, potentially buried in the same forest where Milat's confirmed victims were discovered.

The inquiry continues to gather evidence as authorities work to close historical cases and provide answers to families of the missing. Mr Clark's willingness to come forward with his recollection, despite the passage of time, underscores the importance of community engagement in resolving longstanding mysteries within Australian criminal history.

This article is based on reporting by ABC News, ABC Illawarra.