Bryant Martin biography

Synopsis

Early Life

Mass murderer. Born on May 7, 1967. Bryant Martin killed 35 people and injured 19 others in Tasmania in 1996 in what has since been called "The Port Arthur Massacre." Even as a child, he seemed odd, often detached from the people around him. While in school, Martin was discovered to have a substantially below average I.Q. So low in fact that he qualified for a disability pension after completing school.

Martin did find work, however, as a handyman for Helen Harvey, a rich heiress to a lottery fortune. The two became close and there has been some speculation regarding the nature of their relationship. Whatever the case, she left Martin her entire estate after she died in a car accident in 1993. He was a passenger in the vehicle and some reports indicate that he was investigated as to whether he played a role in the crash.

Also around this time, Martin’s father committed suicide under mysterious circumstances at the family’s home. He drowned himself wearing one of Martin’s diving weight belts around his neck. Martin reportedly showed little emotion over the loss of his father.

Odd Behavior

With the money from Harvey’s estate, Martin lived well, residing in a mansion in Hobart. Neighbors later reported that he threatened to shoot them if they trespassed on his property. He also kept a strange schedule of sleeping all day and wandering around outside at night. Several visitors to the home described it and its owner as "creepy." Martin wasn’t far from the popular destination of Port Arthur, which houses the ruins of an old prison. In 1996, he began visiting the port in the months before the attack.

Port Arthur Massacre

On the afternoon of April 28, 1996, Martin entered a café on the historical site’s grounds, carrying a large duffle bag. He sat down and ate a meal. Once he finished, Martin took out a semi-automatic rifle and began shooting his fellow patrons. Within a matter of seconds, he had killed 20 people and left 15 wounded. He continued with his murderous spree, shooting at people in the parking lot and from his car while he drove away. He stole another car and killed the driver. He locked the passenger in the trunk of the car.

Shooting several others along the way, Martin traveled to the Seascape Cottage, a nearby guest house. He lit the stolen car on fire and took his hostage inside. The police soon arrived and tried to negotiate with Martin for several hours before the battery in Martin’s phone died, cutting off communication.

The next morning, Martin set the house ablaze. He came running out with his clothing on fire. The police apprehended him, and he was treated for burns on his back and buttocks. After the fire, three bodies were discovered in the home. It appeared that the owners, David and Sally Martin, had been killed before the rampage, and the third victim was killed sometime during the negotiations with the police.

Deadly Legacy

On that one deadly day, Martin had killed 35 people, including a woman and her two young children, and left another 19 injured. Australians were shocked and horrified by the crime and many fought to make changes in the country’s gun laws. Martin was later tried and convicted; he received 35 life sentences. He is currently housed at Tasmania’s Risdon Prison, where he has attempted suicide six times during his incarceration.

© 2012 A&E Television Networks. All rights reserved.