Kath Pettingill, Mother of Notorious Crime Figures, Dies at 91

Kath Pettingill, matriarch of one of Melbourne's most infamous crime families and mother to those responsible for the Walsh Street police killings, has died at 91.

Pettingill was the mother of Victor Peirce and Trevor Pettingill, who, along with two others, were charged in connection with the 1988 murders of constables Steven Tynan and Damien Eyre. The officers were ambushed while investigating a stolen car. The killings were reportedly a revenge attack following the shooting death of a close associate of the family.

All four men accused in the Walsh Street murders were acquitted by a jury. Peirce's wife, Wendy, was slated to be a key witness but recanted her testimony after entering witness protection. She later claimed her husband had orchestrated the murders.

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Jacki Weaver and I have only one thing in common, neither of us can act.

Pettingill's extensive family included other notable figures, such as her eldest son, Dennis Bruce Allen, known as 'Dr Death,' who was a suspect in numerous murders and died in prison. Her family's violent history and criminal enterprises served as the inspiration for the acclaimed 2010 Australian film 'Animal Kingdom,' where actress Jacki Weaver portrayed the matriarch.

In a 2011 interview, Pettingill offered a dismissive critique of the film and Weaver's performance, stating, "Jacki Weaver and I have only one thing in common, neither of us can act." She also mentioned having a glass eye, reportedly sustained from a shooting incident in the 1970s.

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I've seen the movie and I'm not impressed. She's supposed to have read books about me and studied me for the part, but it doesn't come off.