'Tell us where her remains are' Fiance's plea to Lucille's killer
Lucille Butterworth's fiancé has made a desperate plea for the location of her remains after a coronial inquest declared the identity of her murderer, a man currently walking free.
In a rare and extraordinary move, Tasmanian coroner Simon Cooper explicitly declared in May that Geoffrey Charles Hunt murdered Lucille Butterworth.
John Fitzgerald, 70, has sought justice for Lucille for 47 years and wants nothing more than to put her to rest.
"I’d give anything if he’d tell us where her remains are I’d just give anything," John Fitzgerald said.
"I just say please have it in your heart, if you’ve got a heart, so we can put her to rest."
Last year he told Sunday Night in an emotional interview that he had never gotten over the disappearance of his fiancé who went missing from a bus stop in southern Tasmania on August 25, 1969.
She was on her way to meet John at his shop in New Norfolk.
"I was so lucky to have her in my life… it still hurts after 47 years, really hurts."
Coroner Simon Cooper went further — her determined that Hunt had stopped his car, strangled Miss Butterworth and then disposed of her body on the southern bank of the Derwent River.
It was never found.
Seven years after Lucille vanished Geoffrey Hunt was arrested for the brutal sex murder of car sales assistant Susan Knight and served time with Phillip Thow in Risdon Prison in 1977.
Thow revealed recently that Hunt confessed to Lucille's murder while in prison.
"Well he stood out very clearly because he’s a blonde-headed albino," Thow told Sunday Night
"He said this is what I done to the Butterworth girl, he said, I killed her"
Hunt even revealed to Thow he had put Lucille in a shallow grave on the edge of the water and punctured her stomach with a pitchfork.
"He said that’s because in the water unless you do that after so many days they will lift and come up to the top of the water," Thow said.
"I was scared if I told somebody I would be next."
Lucille's brother John has also grieved for decades, seeking justice for Lucille's killer.
"Filthy animal, and as a result I’ve lost my sister."
John Fitzgerald said he feels relief at the finding, but disturbed by what may have happened to the love of his life.
"All I hope is that she didn’t suffer, it would break my heart if I knew she’d suffered."
It is now up to the director of public prosecutions to recommend whether or not Geoffery Charles Hunt be formally charged with murder
In the meantime he lives in a secret location in Tasmania, his neighbours tell us they rarely see him.
Despite his grief, John Fitzgerald is concerned about vigilante action against Hunt.
"I just worry about the fact what might happen if he’s not put away there are a lot of people out there who are very angry with this whole business and I just fear now for what could happen to him."
