On the morning of February 22, 1993, a friend arrived at a secluded home in Go, Western Australia, to carry out a job for the homeowner. Instead, they found the body of a young man lying face down in the driveway. Too shaken to enter the property alone, they immediately contacted the police.
When officers arrived, they discovered a scene that would haunt the region for decades. Inside the home, they found the bodies of a mother and her two young daughters. The level of violence shocked even the most seasoned investigators and marked the beginning of one of Western Australia’s most disturbing criminal cases.
The victims were the McKenzie family. Karen McKenzie, a 31-year-old single mother, was the center of the household. She lived with her three children in a peaceful, remote part of the countryside, far from the rush of city life.
Her oldest child, 16-year-old Daniel, was well-liked in the small town for his easygoing nature and warm smile. Seven-year-old Amara was full of energy and curiosity, while five-year-old Katrina was described as a joyful and gentle child. Together, they formed a close-knit family deeply connected to their home.
The tragedy began in the early hours of February 22, 1993. William Patrick Mitchell, a 22-year-old farm worker who knew Karen, drove to the family’s isolated home at around 3:00 a.m. It is believed that Karen had recently rejected his romantic interest, a detail that would become central to the case.
Mitchell had reportedly taken a heavy mix of cannabis, alcohol, and amphetamines the night before. Carrying a tomahawk-style ax, he approached the property. Daniel, still awake, heard a car arrive and turned on the kitchen light to see who it was. He stepped outside to greet the visitor, unaware of the danger.
Mitchell attacked without warning, striking Daniel several times with the ax. The teenager collapsed face down on the driveway and died at the scene. Mitchell then entered the home, where he found Karen asleep on a mattress in the lounge room. He struck her repeatedly in the head and neck, killing her.
In a further act of depravity, Mitchell took lotion from the bathroom and a plastic bag, placed the bag over Karen’s head, and assaulted her body. He then turned to the two young girls. He assaulted seven-year-old Amara before ending her life and also killed five-year-old Katrina in her bed.
The details of the children’s deaths were so gruesome that a judge later ordered them to remain sealed, protecting the public from the full extent of the horror. The family’s dogs barked through the chaos, but their cries went unheard in the stillness of the early morning.
The crime was uncovered later that morning when a friend arrived at the home. Among the first officers on the scene was Sergeant Brian Jones, who was met with a sight that would stay with him for the rest of his life. The bodies of Karen, Amara, and Katrina were found where their lives had been taken, all showing clear signs of an ax attack.
For weeks, investigators had no strong leads. Search teams spread out across the nearby area, and officers spoke to 72 people connected to the family. William Mitchell was interviewed early on but did not raise suspicion at the time.
On March 5, 1993, the funeral for Karen, Daniel, Amara, and Katrina was held. Mitchell attended quietly, a disturbing detail that went unnoticed.
The breakthrough came when forensic teams found a substance later confirmed as sorbene cream on a bedroom door. Within it, a clear fingerprint had been left behind. The door was removed and taken to Perth for closer analysis.
Five weeks after the murders, police arrested William Patrick Mitchell. His fingerprint matched the one found in the cream on the bedroom door, directly linking him to the scene. At first, he denied involvement, but after attempting to harm himself while in custody, he eventually admitted to the killings.
In September 1993, Mitchell pleaded guilty to four counts of murder and four counts of sexual assault, including three committed against Karen’s body and one against Amara before taking her life. His guilty plea avoided a long trial, but the details that emerged caused widespread outrage, with many calling for the return of the death penalty in Australia.
In 1995, at 24 years old, Mitchell was sentenced to four concurrent life sentences with a 20-year non-parole period. Justice Neville Owen described the murders as so serious they were almost beyond words, noting the victims’ innocence and the depraved acts that accompanied the killings.
The public reacted angrily to what they saw as a lenient sentence, leading to a crown appeal. In 1994, a full bench of the Western Australia Supreme Court ruled that Mitchell should never be released, making him the first person in the state to receive true life imprisonment under new laws. However, in 1996, the High Court overturned that decision, restoring the original 20-year non-parole period.
Mitchell’s time in prison has been marked by controversy. In 2010, his transfer to a medium-security prison sparked concerns that he might be preparing for release. Parole hearings in 2013 and 2016 were met with strong opposition, with online petitions collecting thousands of signatures. Karen’s sister, Evelyn Clow, pledged to fight his release, stating, “As long as I’ve got breath left in my body, I’m going to do everything I can to keep him inside.”
Both times, the Attorney General rejected parole, citing the seriousness of the crimes and the need to protect public safety. In 2018, new laws extended the parole review periods for mass murderers to six years, pushing Mitchell’s next possible review to 2024. That review was later delayed by another six years, meaning Mitchell may not be eligible for parole until 2030.
The Go family massacre left a lasting impact on Western Australia. Karen McKenzie and her children are remembered not for the tragic way they died, but for the lives they lived: Karen’s strength as a single mother, Daniel’s kindness, Amara’s curiosity, and Katrina’s innocence.
The case also led to legal changes and drew attention to the emotional toll on first responders. Western Australia Police Commissioner Karl O’Callaghan noted in 2013 that some officers remained deeply affected by the crime scene. The court’s decision to suppress certain details highlighted the extraordinary nature of the massacre.
The property in Go remains a solemn reminder of the tragedy, and those passing by often stop to reflect. The victims’ family, especially Evelyn Clow and mother Barbara Merchant, have continued to advocate for keeping Mitchell imprisoned. Their efforts have ensured that the victims are remembered and that justice continues to be pursued.