Bowraville Murders
Encyclopedia
The Bowraville Murders were a series of serial killings that took place over a period of five months from September 1990 to February 1991 in Bowraville, New South Wales
, Australia
.
Mid North Coast region. There were several similarities between the disappearances that led police to believe that they were committed by the same killer:
There were three victims in the series of killings. The first person to disappear was 16-year-old Colleen Walker, who was reported missing September 13, 1990. The second to disappear was Colleen Walker's cousin, Evelyn Greenup, on October 4, 1990. The third victim was 16-year-old Clinton Speedy-Duroux on February 1, 1991.
Community, on September 13, 1990. The last positive sighting of Colleen was walking away from a group of people at the party. She was reported missing to the police the following day by her family. Despite the family being sure that something terrible had happened, the Missing Persons report was not taken seriously by police; no search parties were formed and no formal police action was taken.
Colleen Walker's body has not been found, although her weighted down clothes were later found by a fisherman in the Nambucca River
.
Evelyn's skeletal remains were found six months later in bushland near the side of the road, about 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) from Bowraville. An autopsy could not conclusively determine the cause of death, but noted that a skull injury was “consistent with a forceful penetration by a sharp instrument”.
Clinton Speedy-Duroux's remains were found about two weeks later by farmers who were collecting wood.
On October 16, 1991, while on bail awaiting trial, Hart was arrested and charged with the murder of Evelyn Greenup. Despite a strong circumstantial case, Hart was acquitted of Speedy's murder by a supreme court on February 18, 1994, the third anniversary of the discovery of his body.
After the acquittal on the Speedy case, prosecutors did not proceed with the trial against Hart for the Evelyn Greenup murder.
Commissioner
Peter Ryan
set up Task Force Ancud, to continue the investigation into the unsolved murders. In February 2004, an inquest was held into the murders, and as a result Thomas Jay Hart was charged again for the murder of Evelyn Greenup.
The trial was conducted in February 2006. The prosecution provided strong evidence including two supposed confessions made by Hart. Despite the evidence and confessions, Hart was acquitted on March 3, 2006.
community in Bowraville.
After the acquittal of Hart in 2006, the NSW Police Minister raised the reward to $250,000 for information leading to the conviction of the persons responsible for the murders. The previous reward was $100,000 and it was only for Colleen Walker.
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
The Murders
The three killings took place in the rural timber town of Bowraville on New South Wales'New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
Mid North Coast region. There were several similarities between the disappearances that led police to believe that they were committed by the same killer:
- The murders all took place within the short timeframe of five months.
- All three victims were AboriginalAustralian AboriginesAustralian Aborigines , also called Aboriginal Australians, from the latin ab originem , are people who are indigenous to most of the Australian continentthat is, to mainland Australia and the island of Tasmania...
. - Autopsies of the two bodies that were found indicate both suffered blunt force trauma to the head.
- All three victims disappeared after parties in the AboriginalAustralian AboriginesAustralian Aborigines , also called Aboriginal Australians, from the latin ab originem , are people who are indigenous to most of the Australian continentthat is, to mainland Australia and the island of Tasmania...
community in Bowraville, in an area known as “The Mission”.
There were three victims in the series of killings. The first person to disappear was 16-year-old Colleen Walker, who was reported missing September 13, 1990. The second to disappear was Colleen Walker's cousin, Evelyn Greenup, on October 4, 1990. The third victim was 16-year-old Clinton Speedy-Duroux on February 1, 1991.
Victim 1 - Colleen Walker
The first victim, Colleen Walker, was last seen alive at a party in the area of Bowraville known as “The Mission”, in the AboriginalAustralian Aborigines
Australian Aborigines , also called Aboriginal Australians, from the latin ab originem , are people who are indigenous to most of the Australian continentthat is, to mainland Australia and the island of Tasmania...
Community, on September 13, 1990. The last positive sighting of Colleen was walking away from a group of people at the party. She was reported missing to the police the following day by her family. Despite the family being sure that something terrible had happened, the Missing Persons report was not taken seriously by police; no search parties were formed and no formal police action was taken.
Colleen Walker's body has not been found, although her weighted down clothes were later found by a fisherman in the Nambucca River
Nambucca River
The Nambucca River is a river, about in length, on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Australia.The region drained by the Nambucca River consists of the coastal plain to the Great Dividing Range. Taylors Arm and Nambucca Creek meet just before Macksville. The river estuary is located at...
.
Victim 2 - Evelyn Greenup
Two and a half weeks after the disappearance of Colleen Walker, 4-year-old Evelyn Greenup disappeared after a party at “The Mission”, on October 4, 1990. She was last seen by her mother as she was put to bed some time during the night. The next morning she was gone from her bed.Evelyn's skeletal remains were found six months later in bushland near the side of the road, about 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) from Bowraville. An autopsy could not conclusively determine the cause of death, but noted that a skull injury was “consistent with a forceful penetration by a sharp instrument”.
Victim 3 - Clinton Speedy-Duroux
Approximately three months after the disappearance of Evelyn Greenup, 16-year-old Clinton Speedy-Duroux went missing after a party at the Mission. He was last seen leaving the party on the way to a house to sleep.Clinton Speedy-Duroux's remains were found about two weeks later by farmers who were collecting wood.
Investigation and Prosecution
In spite of two trials and a coroner's inquest no one has been successfully prosecuted for the murders.Arrest of Thomas Jay Hart
On April 8, 1991, a local Bowraville labourer, 25-year-old Thomas Jay Hart, was arrested for the murder of Clinton Speedy. Hart was well known in the Aboriginal community in Bowraville, and often attended the parties at The Mission.On October 16, 1991, while on bail awaiting trial, Hart was arrested and charged with the murder of Evelyn Greenup. Despite a strong circumstantial case, Hart was acquitted of Speedy's murder by a supreme court on February 18, 1994, the third anniversary of the discovery of his body.
After the acquittal on the Speedy case, prosecutors did not proceed with the trial against Hart for the Evelyn Greenup murder.
Evelyn Greenup trial
In 1997, the former New South Wales PoliceNew South Wales Police
The New South Wales Police Force is the primary law enforcement agency in the State of New South Wales, Australia. It is an agency of the Government of New South Wales within the New South Wales Ministry for Police...
Commissioner
Commissioner
Commissioner is in principle the title given to a member of a commission or to an individual who has been given a commission ....
Peter Ryan
Peter Ryan (police commissioner)
Peter James Ryan, QPM is a former British police officer, who was the Commissioner of New South Wales Police in Australia from 1996 to 2002.-Early life and education:Ryan was born in 1944 in Lancaster to Laurence and Maureen Ryan....
set up Task Force Ancud, to continue the investigation into the unsolved murders. In February 2004, an inquest was held into the murders, and as a result Thomas Jay Hart was charged again for the murder of Evelyn Greenup.
The trial was conducted in February 2006. The prosecution provided strong evidence including two supposed confessions made by Hart. Despite the evidence and confessions, Hart was acquitted on March 3, 2006.
After Effects
The murders, and the fact that to date no one has been convicted of the crimes, is a source of pain and bitterness in the AboriginalAustralian Aborigines
Australian Aborigines , also called Aboriginal Australians, from the latin ab originem , are people who are indigenous to most of the Australian continentthat is, to mainland Australia and the island of Tasmania...
community in Bowraville.
After the acquittal of Hart in 2006, the NSW Police Minister raised the reward to $250,000 for information leading to the conviction of the persons responsible for the murders. The previous reward was $100,000 and it was only for Colleen Walker.