Baffled police offer millions to break Melbourne serial killer cold case
Victorian police offered a record $4.75 million in rewards Saturday to catch the serial killer or killers behind the murders of six Melbourne women in the 1980s.
The women, ranging in age from 14 to 73, disappeared in separate as they traveled on foot around Melbourne over an 18-month period in 1980-1981.
Their bodies were found hidden in scrubland at Frankston, in bayside Melbourne, and at Tynong North, south-east of Melbourne, and the offender tried to hide their identities by taking their personal items.
Victorian Police announced on Saturday six rewards of $1 million each for information leading to the arrest and conviction of whoever was behind the murders.
"Investigators are seeking public assistance to help solve these six murders, and are appealing directly to any persons with knowledge of these crimes and of those responsible to come forward and contact police," the department said in a statement.
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Victoria Police Homicide Squad Detective Inspector Mick Hughes said police believed one of the victims, Bertha Miller, had been approached by a man at a tram who had noticed she was carrying a bible, two weeks before her death.
"She spoke to a friend after that and was pretty encouraged, she saw that as an opportunity to talk Christianity to that person," he said.
"We've never identified who that is, and we're working on the principle there's a good chance he is our offender.
"If we look at all of the victims, they've either been using public transport or close to, so he's clearly seen a way in to talk to Bertha, because everything I'm told about her, she wouldn't engage with people unless there was a reason to do so."
Allison Rooke was the first of the women to fall victim to the killer and was missing for more than two months before she was found.
The other victims include 14-year-old Berwick girl Catherine Headland, 18-year-old Ann-Marie Sargent, 34-year-old Narumol Stephenson and 55-year-old Joy Carmel Summers.
Police said they had spoken to more than 2,000 people over the murders and a number of persons of interest were identified.
The department said the $6 million was the largest reward amount ever offered by them.
