Mystery over chef who went missing 13 years ago sparks $100,000 reward
Police are renewing calls for information into the disappearance of a Sydney chef who went missing 13 years ago, with a $100,000 reward being offered for new leads.
In July 2005, Redfern resident Simon Knight spent a night at a motel on Crown St, Surry Hills before he disappeared without a trace.
He was a chef in Newtown and various other Sydney locations, and police said he was well liked by his friends and colleagues.
Mr Knight was aged 32 when he was last seen on July 20, 2005, when he booked a room at the City Crown Motel in Crown St, Surry Hills.
“He contacted an escort agency in Kings Cross during the night but that was the last anyone had heard from him,” Crime co-ordinator for Redfern Local Area Command, Sergeant Kirsty McIntosh, previously said.
A 2008 inquest was unable to confirm whether Mr Knight was alive or dead.
Amid the anniversary of Mr Knight’s disappearance, the mystery continues to baffle police and his family as they search for new leads.
Officers from the Missing Person Unit together with police from the Redfern Local Area Command formed Strike Force Glenlea to investigate his disappearance.
NSW Minister for Police, Tony Kelly, said exhaustive efforts by police investigators were unable to confirm the circumstances surrounding Mr Knight’s disappearance.
Family of Toronto shooter break their silence on ‘son’s horrific actions’
Couple’s holiday disaster as man breaks neck on birthday trip
Woman ‘checking she had grocery bags in boot’ when car rolled back
“At the conclusion of the inquest, the Deputy State Coroner recommended a reward be offered for information about Mr Knight’s disappearance and the Government has now endorsed a $100,000 reward.
“Mr Knight’s family deserve to know what happened to their loved one and I hope the community will do what it can to assist police with their inquiries,” Mr Kelly said.
If Mr Knight was still alive today, he would be 45 years old. He was described as being Caucasian, with red or ginger hair, fair skin and blue eyes, with medium to solid build at time he was last seen.
Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Simon Knight is encouraged to contact Detective Sergeant Nick Walker or Senior Constable James Mabberley at Redfern LAC on (02) 8303 5333.
