A Vampire, a Lesbian Lover and a Tale of Murder

A 25-year-old Australian woman was sentenced to life imprisonment today after a three-week trial that uncovered a bizarre tale of murder, lesbianism and a vampire with mind-control powers.

Lisa Ptaschinski was given a life term for aiding in the murder of City Council worker Edward Baldock, stabbed to death in a frenzied attack on the bank of a river in a Brisbane suburb in October, 1989.

The woman who carried out the attack, Ptaschinski’s lover, Tracey Wigginton, earlier pleaded guilty to the murder and received a life sentence.

Police prosecutor Adrian Gundelach told the court that Wigginton, a 25-year-old factory worker, could not eat solid food and craved human blood.

He said Ptaschinski told police that Wigginton used to put a tourniquet around Ptaschinski’s wrist, pump up her vein and make a small cut. “As blood was coming out, Wigginton would suck it with her mouth,” Gundelach said.

“If you are going out with someone, you do whatever you can to please them,” Ptaschinski told a psychiatrist who gave evidence at the trial.

The lovers and two other accused, Kim Jervis and Tracey Waugh, discussed murdering someone so that Wigginton could feed on blood.

Waugh said Wigginton could not satisfy her hunger by feeding on Ptaschinski, who had a weak heart, and used mind control to persuade them to kill.

On the night of the murder the four women went to a lesbian nightclub in Brisbane where they drank champagne, leaving shortly before midnight to stalk a victim.

Baldock, 47, who was spotted staggering home drunk, accepted their offer of a ride home and was later enticed to a riverbank by Wigginton, the court was told.

Minutes later she returned to the car and said Baldock was too strong. Ptaschinski grabbed a knife and returned with her.

Wigginton went into a frenzy, stabbing Baldock 15 times and almost severing his head. Ptaschinski did not stab Baldock, the prosecutor said.

He quoted Ptaschinski as saying that when Baldock fell to the ground dead, Wigginton went into a “feeding frenzy” after which she looked as though she had had a three-course meal.

Jervis and Waugh stayed in the car as Baldock was killed.

Baldock somehow managed to put Wigginton’s bank card in his shoe during the attack. She was arrested within 24 hours, and the other three surrendered the next day.

Waugh, 24, was acquitted and left the court with her family. Jervis, also 24, was convicted of the lesser charge of manslaughter and sentenced to eight years. All three had pleaded not guilty.