Aussie adviser jailed for murder of 'wasteful' lottery winner

clock

An Australian financial adviser has been handed an 18 year jail sentence for the murder of a client he felt was being 'wasteful' with her lottery winnings.

Peter Joseph Kelly had pleaded guilty to murdering Maria Devrell in March last year by hitting her over the head with a mallet wrapped in cling film and suffocating her, the Sydney Morning Herald reports. Devrell and her husband won $5m in the lottery in 1999, after which Kelly, who had known the husband for 25 years, took over management of their finances. However, he became increasingly angry with what he felt was 'wasteful' spending by the couple, the New South Wales Supreme Court heard. This reached a climax with an argument Kelly had with her at her Tamworth home, on the same ...

To continue reading this article...

Join Professional Adviser for free

  • Unlimited access to real-time news, industry insights and market intelligence
  • Stay ahead of the curve with spotlights on emerging trends and technologies
  • Receive breaking news stories straight to your inbox in the daily newsletters
  • Make smart business decisions with the latest developments in regulation, investing retirement and protection
  • Members-only access to the editor’s weekly Friday commentary
  • Be the first to hear about our events and awards programmes

Join

 

Already a Professional Adviser member?

Login

More on Your profession

The capacity trap: Why advice firms can't hire their way out of the admin crisis

The capacity trap: Why advice firms can't hire their way out of the admin crisis

'You cannot outrun a broken process by adding more people to it'

Stuart Breyer
clock 10 March 2026 • 3 min read
The enduring value of advice in an era of DIY investing

The enduring value of advice in an era of DIY investing

'The debate is about execution and consistency'

Chris Ball
clock 10 March 2026 • 4 min read
Aberdeen's Kenny on 'hugely worrying' financial literacy gender gap

Aberdeen's Kenny on 'hugely worrying' financial literacy gender gap

Recent research findings

Jen Frost
clock 09 March 2026 • 3 min read