The death of Derek Percy has delivered a fatal blow to solving some of Australia's most notorious child killings.
Detectives had been pressing the child killer right up to his last breath in the secure ward of a Melbourne hospital to reveal what he knew about more than half a dozen unsolved cases across the country.
The coroner even held an emergency hearing at his beside.
But the 64-year-old failed to reveal any new information before he died of cancer on Wednesday, leaving detectives with few other leads.
"We're very disappointed," Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Ken Lay told ABC Radio.
"Percy either couldn't or wouldn't share information that we think may well have put some issues to rest."
Percy was Victoria's longest serving prisoner and the prime suspect in seven-year-old Linda Stilwell's disappearance.
She had vanished from the city's St Kilda beach foreshore in 1968.
He was also a suspect in unsolved child murders in Sydney, Canberra and Adelaide.
Percy came to light as a suspect in these cases after he abducted and murdered 12-year-old Yvonne Tuohy in 1969. He had been detained on insanity grounds since.
One of the investigators involved in that case believes Percy was responsible for other killings - and would have killed again if ever released.
"It was a fantasy, I suspect, he carried with him all day, every day," retired detective Bernie Delaney told Fairfax Radio.
"No doubt, he would have acted on those fantasies again, I firmly believe."
Crime Victims Support Association president Noel McNamara said Percy was a cunning, evil person and it was a shame he died with so many families not knowing what happened to their children.
"We're glad he's gone - it's probably an understatement, because he's gone to the devil," Mr McNamara said.
"We just hope he rots in hell."
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd was more restrained when told Percy had died, saying it would be a terrible day for the victims' families.
Victorian Premier Denis Napthine, who had called for the killer to reveal what he knew, said he was very disappointed Percy didn't make any comments about the unsolved crimes he was linked to.
"It is always very difficult to force people to disclose information they have," Dr Napthine said.
He added if the coroner recommended a change in the rules of evidence, the government would be happy to consider that.
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