Claremont killer: Block of land previously home to Bradley Robert Edwards up for sale again

This block of land has a dark past, but prospective buyers will be hoping it has a bright future. It was once the site of the house where Claremont killer Bradley Edwards was finally arrested after police had hunted him for two decades. However, real estate agents are confident the plot on Acton Avenue in Kewdale has many happier chapters still to write. Perth was gripped by fear after the murders of Jane Rimmer, Ciara Glennon and the disappearance of Sarah Spiers in 1996 and 1997. For years it seemed the killer would get away with his crime, but Edwards’ luck ran out three days before Christmas in 2016 when armed police swooped to arrest him at the Kewdale home. In 2020, he was convicted of the murders of Ms Rimmer and Ms Glennon. He was not convicted over Ms Spiers’ disappearance, although the judge said it was “likely” Edwards was involved. Edwards and his second wife lived at the property after buying it in July 2000 for $135,000. The three-bedroom home sold for $390,000 — 20 per cent below market value — in 2021, before it was demolished. The block has been sitting bare since, reduced to piles of sand, but a large for sale sign has been planted at the front of the empty 794sqm block in recent weeks. Real estate agency Ray White is managing the sale, with the current asking price upwards of $699,000. The property has been advertised since late May as a “rare chance to secure land in one of Perth’s most promising locations”. The listing says there is “ample space to design a spacious family home”. “Take advantage of this rare opportunity to secure a generous 794m² street-front lot in the sought-after suburb of Kewdale,” it said. “With R20 zoning, there’s ample space to design a spacious family home with room for gardens, outdoor entertaining, and more — your ideal lifestyle starts here. “Ideally positioned close to quality schools, lush parks, and major shopping hubs, everything you need is right at your doorstep.” Ray White real estate agent Toby Huggins said the current owner’s decision to sell the vacant block was “personal” and unrelated to the fact Edwards used to live there. Mr Huggins said the agency would “always disclose any known history of a property that may be considered sensitive or stigmatised”. “Transparency is a key part of our responsibility to buyers,” he said. “The house is no longer there, however, we would like all prospective buyers to be aware of any and all information that could affect their decision to buy.” He said in just over a week since the land hit the market there had been “genuine interest from both owner-occupiers and investors”. “Prospective buyers have viewed the site as a clean slate, and vacant residential land is often rare to find,” he said. “The former house was demolished some time ago and what remains is a well-located block in a growing suburb.” Edwards — a former Telstra technician — will likely die in prison after being sentenced to a minimum of 40 years following a seven-month-long criminal trial, which concluded in 2020. A video of Edwards’ arrest, which was played in court during his criminal trial, showed the run-down state of the home before it was destroyed. The vision showed boxes stacked against the walls of passageways, bags on the floor and peeling paint. Police ripped up his backyard in the hopes they would discover crucial evidence linked to his offending. The body of Ms Spiers has never been located, with her vanishing remaining an open case.