Jason Langhans, 17, died on Saturday after he was viciously assaulted in the early hours of March 21 at a gathering in Melbourne’s south-east
Gatecrashers who allegedly stabbed a ‘fun loving’ teenager in the head with a screwdriver at a wild house party are believed to have attacked people at a second property in a nightlong rampage.
Jason Langhans, 17, died in hospital on Saturday after he was viciously attacked about 2.30am on March 21 at the home in Tooradin in Melbourne’s south-east.
Detectives say there are three people of interest who weren’t invited guests of the 16th birthday party.
They are also not believed to have known the majority of the guests and turned up with one guest later in the night.
Police said as attendees were leaving and milling out the front of the home, a confrontation sparked between the trio and another guest who had asked them to leave.
Jason was nearby and was allegedly stabbed in the head with a screwdriver in an unprovoked attack, police said.
A group of guests chased the three gatecrasher out of the home before they disappeared into the grounds of nearby rural properties.
Police believe another altercation occurred on one of the properties.
Homicide detectives have launched an appeal for information to find three persons of interest they would like to speak to in relation to the teenager’s murder
Homicide detectives spoke to several guests but launched an urgent appeal for anyone with information to come forward.
They are particularly interested in hearing from anyone who has information about the three suspects, the later altercation or the area where it occurred, or the weapon used in the second attack.
The three men of interest are described as Middle Eastern and believed to be ‘of driving age’ and not from the surrounding area.
All three are described as about 170cm tall, and were wearing dark clothing.
The first man had dark, short-cropped hair, the second had wavy black hair brushed across his face, and the third has a dark crew cut and is believed to have visible injuries to the left side of his face.
‘Fun loving’ teenager Jason Langhans was stabbed in the head on March 21, with the alleged offender still at large
‘I can’t even imagine what the Langhans family must be going through, to find out that your son and much-loved brother, who just went out to a party, will no longer be coming home,’ homicide squad Detective Inspector Andrew Stamper said.
‘To the friends or guests who chased the trio away, who would have been just trying to look out for their friend, we’d like to hear from you to help establish the circumstances of what occurred and you may be able to help us find the weapon involved.
‘We’re urging anyone who knows the three men involved, who we believe attended with the intention to cause trouble, to come forward.
‘These men need to be held to account for their actions.’
Jason was given first aid at the party before being driven home, but paramedics were called when his condition deteriorated.
The Cranbourne North teenager was rushed to hospital after the stabbing and had multiple surgeries before going into the ICU, but suffered a stroke following medical complications on April 6.
Homicide Squad Detective Inspector Andrew Stamper said: ‘I can’t even imagine what the Langhans family must be going through, to find out that your son and much-loved brother, who just went out to a party, will no longer be coming home.’
Jason’s family turned off his life support this week and his mother Carolyn Langhans remains in disbelief she will soon have to bury her son.
‘Jason you were our whole life and not a day will go by without us thinking about you and wishing you were here, we love you so much and our lives feel so empty,’ she wrote on Facebook.
‘You put up a good fight but unfortunately, it was your time to go and now you’re no longer in any pain.’
His sister Stacey Langhans is equally devastated.
‘Jason had everything going for him and has had it all taken away before he could even experience his life,’ she told the Herald Sun.
‘Our son and baby brother have been murdered and whoever did this is still running around free.’
The family wants answers and vowed not to give up until the killer was brought to justice.
Family friend Greg Angus described the attack on Jason as ‘senseless’ and said whoever was responsible can ‘rot in hell.’
