Mother of Notorious Melbourne Crime Family Dies at 91

The mother of one of Melbourne's most notorious crime families, held responsible by police for the Walsh Street police killings, has died at the age of 91.

Kath Pettingill's death was confirmed by a family member, who declined to comment to the ABC.

Among her many children, Pettingill was the mother of Trevor Pettingill and Victor Peirce, who were charged with two other men over the 1988 murder of two young police officers in Walsh Street in South Yarra.

Constables Steven Tynan and Damien Eyre were ambushed and killed after being called to investigate a dumped stolen car.

The double shooting was said to be a revenge attack after the Armed Robbery Squad shot dead close friend of the Richmond-based family, Graeme Jensen.

All four were later acquitted by a jury.

Peirce's wife, Wendy, was meant to have been a key witness in the trial.

But after 18 months in witness protection, costing $2 million, she changed her mind and refused to give evidence.

After Pierce was later shot dead in Bay Street in Port Melbourne in an underworld hit, she told media that her husband had indeed planned and carried out the murders.

Among Pettingill's other children were her eldest son, drug dealer Dennis Bruce Allen, who was known as Dr Death.

He was a suspect in more than 10 murders.

He died in jail.

Another son, Peter Allen, was a convicted heroin dealer.

In a 1996 interview with the ABC, Pettingill reflected on her family's tribulations ahead of the launch of her biography.

"Well, Dennis is dead, Peter is at Barwon Prison, Vicki is with witness protection. Then I have Victor at Bendigo prison, then I had Jamie, who is deceased. He was murdered. My youngest son Trevor is at Bendigo prison," she said in 1996.

"[Life] was never ordinary — it was very brutal. But I swore I'd look after my kids, no matter what.

"I never wanted them to become criminals. I don't think any mother wants their sons to become criminals."

Pettingill's family was the inspiration behind the 2010 Australian movie Animal Kingdom, in which actor Jacki Weaver played matriarch Janine Cody.

In an interview with News Corp in 2011, Pettingill did not give a glowing review of the movie or Weaver's portrayal.

"Jacki Weaver and I have only one thing in common, neither of us can act," she told the Sunday Herald Sun shortly after the film's 2010 release.

"I've seen the movie and I'm not impressed. She's supposed to have read books about me and studied me for the part, but it doesn't come off," she said.

Pettingill had a glass eye, reportedly as a result of being shot in the 1970s as she and Dennis Allen tried to repay a debt on behalf of a daughter.