Man Sentenced For Brisbane Manslaughter Over 50-Year-Old Cold Case

A 72-year-old man has been sentenced for manslaughter over a 50-year-old cold case. 

Benjamin Jansen was charged with murder over the 1972 death of Rex Kable Keen in Brisbane. 

Mr Keen was struck at least 12 times with a camera in a Brisbane hotel room before being left for dead.

The Brisbane Supreme Court heard that Jansen met Mr Keen while out drinking in Brisbane in August of 1972 before being invited back to Mr Keen’s hotel room to eat.

Jansen claimed that he believed Mr Keen was gay or bisexual after he was asked to “pay for the meal with his body” and to take some photographs for Mr Keen.

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According to Jansen, he reactively attacked Mr Keen thinking he was attempting to initiate a sexual encounter.

Jansen is then believed to have taken the camera and hit Mr Keen with it up to 12 times before fleeing the scene.

Mr Keen was discovered the following day by hotel staff.

An examination of Mr Keen’s body found that he had suffered from 11 lacerations to the head and a fractured skull.  

Justice Declan Kelly described the attack as a “dramatic, complete over-reaction”. 

“In terms of perceived provocation ... your over-reaction occurred in a different era when homosexuality was unlawful and perceived differently by some parts of society,” he said.

“However ... it was absolutely no excuse for the way you reacted.”

Police managed to track down Mr Keen after discovering his DNA on a tissue found in the hotel room.

Jansen plead guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to nine years in jail.

He will be eligible for parole immediately after the judge declared his 1,205 days in police custody as time served.

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