Ben Pappas

Benjamin James "Ben" Pappas (13 May 1978 – 4 March 2007) was a professional Australian skateboarder and younger brother of skateboarder Tas Pappas. In the late 1990s, Pappas was ranked the No. 2 skateboarder in the world; his older brother Tas was No. 1 at the same time.

Early life Ben Pappas was born in Melbourne, Australia to Bill and Kerry Pappas (nee Bardot) and he and his older brother Tasou Micah "Tas" Pappas were raised in the Melbourne suburb of St Albans. Their father was born in Egypt and is of Greek descent. In the 2014 documentary All This Mayhem, Tas Pappas said that their childhood was "pretty hectic."

Skateboarding career In October 1990, Pappas traveled to the United States for the first time and began skating in various competitions internationally. In 1992, Ben, his older brother Tas and their father moved from Melbourne to the United States so that both brothers could pursue careers in professional skateboarding. The brothers soon won sponsorship from Hardcore with clothing and skateboards provided in return for demos at shopping centres. In 1994, Ben Pappas placed sixth in the New Jersey demo. He participated in the Slam City Jam in Vancouver in 1995 and placed ninth in the event in 1997. In 1999, he placed fifth in the Mountain Dew U.S. Open, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

By 1996, he was ranked the #2 skateboarder in the world while his brother Tas was #1. The two quickly earned a reputation for their confrontational behaviour and partying. Around this time, both began using cocaine.

Later years After Pappas' career ended, he remained in Australia. He married in 1999, but the marriage ended in divorce after two years. For the next several years, he lived a transient lifestyle staying with friends and family. According to his older brother Tas, Pappas had become depressed and frustrated over his career ending and began using heroin. The two moved in together but the relationship was tumultuous and violent as Pappas was reportedly physically abusive and controlling. The two broke up several times. In February 2006, Phillips was granted an interim intervention order against Pappas after he physically assaulted her and damaged her property. The order was revoked the following month at Phillips' request after the two reconciled. At the time of Pappas' death, he and Phillips had reportedly broken up again.

Death On 24 February 2007, Pappas' on-off girlfriend Lynette Phillips disappeared. On 2 March, her body was found wrapped in a quilt in Dights Falls on the Yarra River. She had been weighted down with a backpack containing two four kilogram dumbbells. An autopsy determined that Phillips had been strangled. Pappas became the sole suspect as he was the last person seen with Phillips before her body was discovered, and the quilt and dumbbells found on Phillips' body belonged to Pappas. Six days later, on 10 March, his body was found floating under the pier of the Victoria Dock.