Home / Crime and Justice / Milat's Top Detective Dies After Long Illness
Milat's Top Detective Dies After Long Illness
20 Nov, 2025
Summary
- Detective Clive Small, who caught serial killer Ivan Milat, has died at 79.
- Small led Task Force Air, investigating the Belanglo State Forest backpacker murders.
- He was also known for true crime books after his police career.
Detective Clive Small, the key figure in the capture of serial killer Ivan Milat, has died at the age of 79 in a Sydney aged care facility following a lengthy illness. Small took charge of Task Force Air, established to investigate the grim discoveries of seven backpacker victims in Belanglo State Forest between 1992 and 1993.
The task force received an overwhelming public response, with thousands of calls to a dedicated hotline. The investigation eventually led to Ivan Milat's arrest in May 1994, and he was subsequently convicted of seven murders in July 1996, receiving a life sentence without parole.
After retiring from the police force in 2004, where he rose to the rank of assistant commissioner, Small transitioned into a successful career as a true crime author. He co-authored several books, including 'Milat: Inside Australia's Biggest Manhunt - A Detective's Story', sharing his insights into the investigation.
