A ghost branded with Satan’s symbols died of natural causes before being brought to justice for allegedly defiling two cemetery sites.
Tristan Hearne, 40, of Spotswood, was scheduled to appear before the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday for allegedly stealing the skulls of two individuals from Footscray General Cemetery between January 27 and February 1.
The thefts were allegedly tied to demonic rites, which sent shockwaves across Melbourne.
At the time, Victoria Police strenuously refuted the allegations, speculating that the grave robberies were likely conducted by thrill-seekers.
Due to the alarming nature of the charges, police prosecutors asked Magistrate David Langton to issue an urgent arrest warrant for Hearne.
They were awarded it on the spot, prompting a police manhunt to bring the suspected grave thief to justice.
About an hour later, the court was advised that Hearne would not be fronting.
Hearne is said to have had a double lung transplant owing to his persistently severe cystic fibrosis.
He had previously shared a picture of himself on social media that showed the extensive scar left by the surgery.
It is believed that Hearne’s body rejected the transplant, ultimately leading to his death.
Daily Mail Australia reported in June that Hearne’s fingers bore both The Leviathan Cross, sometimes known as the Satanic cross, and the Sigil of Lucifer.
Officers learned that Hearne reportedly placed a variety of objects at the crime scenes, including a crucifix, candles, and messages to Satan.
Police informed the Daily Mail Australia on February 3 that, at this time, there is no evidence of satanic rituals or ties.
Hearne’s Facebook profile, which remains accessible to the public, was unsettling to see.
Among the images uploaded online by the dead ghoul are photographs shot in Melbourne cemeteries.
One photograph seems to depict a person costumed as the Grim Reaper standing next to local tombstones. Hearne claimed to hold Kew’s Boroondara General Cemetery in high esteem, tweeting many photographs of graves in May of 2020.
There were other works of art portraying devils, demons, and vampires.
The caption on a photograph of Shakespeare’s Hamlet with a human skull reads, “This above all: to thy own self be faithful.”
Hearne’s Facebook profile shows his lifelong fascination in the paranormal.
His favorite childhood books were the Usborne Guide to the Supernatural World and The World of Unknown Ghosts.
An ancient school photograph depicts a vampire with protruding fangs.
Hearne displayed with pride his extensive arm tattoos, which included an image of the American serial murderer John Wayne Gacy as a clown.
At least 33 young men and boys were raped, tortured, and killed by Gacy, who often performed at children’s hospitals and philanthropic events as ‘Pogo the Clown’ or ‘Patches the Clown’ The odd thefts purportedly committed by Hearne instilled panic across Melbourne, since each of his targets seemed to be chosen at random.
The grisly discovery was discovered by a passerby going around the location.
At the time, renowned criminologist Xanthe Mallett was baffled as to why the uncommon occurrence had happened.
She remarked, “I haven’t found a precedent where graves have been looted for anything other than anatomical purposes in the distant past.” Grave robbing used to be when corpses were removed and delivered for anatomical purposes, but that was hundreds of years ago.
The police say that Hearne broke into three mausoleums, but nothing was taken.
Six charges were brought against Hearne, including two counts of taking body parts from a human corpse, exhuming or removing human remains from site of internment, and criminal damage.
The Herald Sun said that one human skull was discovered in his bedroom and another was buried outside his rental house in a flower bed.
The removal of body parts from a grave is punishable by up to five years in prison.