A Victorian Supreme Court jury has found Forrest Stevenson guilty of the Frankston Pier murder of fisherman Andres Pancha, who was stabbed 101 times during a brutal early-morning attack in June 2024.
The 38-year-old was convicted on 29 October 2026, following almost three days of jury deliberations.
Mr Pancha, a 45-year-old father of three from Cranbourne North, had travelled to Frankston Pier for an early morning fishing trip on 29 June 2024.
He never returned home.
Frankston Pier Murder: Fisherman Stabbed 101 Times
The court heard Mr Pancha arrived at the pier at approximately 5am, unaware that an hour later he would be subjected to a fatal knife attack.
He sustained 101 stab wounds, including 31 to his head and neck and 40 to his torso.
Another fisherman, positioned approximately 100 metres away, witnessed the attack and called triple zero as Stevenson fled on foot.
Paramedics arrived at approximately 6.12am, finding Mr Pancha lying in a pool of blood without a pulse.
He died at the scene.
The killing at one of Frankston’s most recognisable public landmarks left a family grieving and deeply affected the local fishing community.
CCTV and Bloodstained Clothing Central to Murder Trial
During the trial, Crown prosecutor Kristie Churchill KC presented evidence linking Stevenson to the killing.
CCTV footage captured a man wearing a green jacket leaving the area following the attack. Prosecutors argued that the footage matched recordings of Stevenson elsewhere in Frankston before the murder.
Approximately 80 minutes after the stabbing, police located Stevenson barefoot in vegetation near the Frankston foreshore.
He was wearing a green jacket and bloodstained black trousers and had an injury to his right hand.
The prosecution told jurors that forensic testing identified Mr Pancha as a likely contributor to DNA recovered from the trousers.
Stevenson maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings.
His defence barrister, Amy Brennan, disputed the identification evidence and argued that her client was not the man captured leaving the pier.
Stevenson also denied ownership of the bloodstained trousers and disputed having put them on himself.
After considering the evidence, the jury found Stevenson guilty of murder.
Police previously confirmed the two men were not known to each other. A motive for the killing has not been publicly established.
Family Breaks Down as Guilty Verdict Delivered
The verdict marked a significant moment for Mr Pancha’s family, more than two years after his death.
According to Australian Associated Press court reporting, relatives broke down in tears and embraced one another as the jury’s decision was delivered.
The family declined to speak publicly following the verdict.
On 6 July 2024, approximately 100 people gathered at Frankston Pier for a memorial vigil, remembering Mr Pancha as a much-loved member of the local fishing community.
Friends, family and fellow fishing enthusiasts returned to the same location where he had lost his life, casting fishing lines into Port Phillip Bay in his memory.
During the gathering, Mr Pancha’s sister thanked those who had supported the grieving family.
“All your love and support really helps ease the pain of the family.”
The tribute, reported by ABC News, reflected the lasting impact of a killing that devastated a family and affected the wider Frankston community.
Stevenson Awaits Sentencing Following Guilty Verdict
Stevenson is expected to return to the Victorian Supreme Court for a pre-sentence hearing.
He has not yet been sentenced.
The conviction follows a trial before Justice Diana Piekusis, during which jurors considered CCTV footage, forensic evidence and competing accounts of Stevenson’s involvement.
The guilty verdict in the Frankston Pier murder case establishes Stevenson’s criminal responsibility for Mr Pancha’s death.
For the family of Andres Pancha, the decision marks a significant step in the legal process, but it cannot undo the loss of a father, brother and friend.
Related coverage: Frankston Pier murder trial hears fisherman was stabbed 101 times.
