Police searching Willunga property of Dale McCauley, who disappeared in 1998 and is believed to have been murdered
POLICE are searching a Willunga house and a dam at a nearby property over the disappearance and suspected murder of Dale McCauley 17 years ago. SEE ALL THE PHOTOS
POLICE are searching a Willunga house, and a dam at a nearby property, over the disappearance and suspected murder of a man 17 years ago.
Dale McCauley, 44, was reported missing on February 16, 1998. He was last seen at his Quarry Rd home at Willunga a month earlier.
At the time Mr McCauley was last seen, an acquaintance with whom he had business dealings was camped in a double-decker bus on the property but left the next day.
Police suspect Mr McCauley has been murdered. A person of interest has been identified during the investigation but there is insufficient evidence to proceed with charges at this time.
Police have recently completed an extensive cold case review into Mr McCauley’s disappearance and are now pursuing lines of inquiry.
Major Crime Investigation Branch officer-in-charge Detective Superintendent Des Bray said police were searching Mr McCauley’s former home and a nearby dam for fresh evidence.
“This investigation is progressing very well. The review has identified additional investigational opportunities, which we believe will help us solve this case,” he said.
Mr McCauley vanished without a trace leaving his truck, passport and akubra hat – which friends said he would never leave home without – at his Willunga home.
STAR Group officers and State Emergency Service volunteers conducted a search of his property and surrounding district covering a 2km long and 600m wide area at the time but failed to find any trace of him.
Prior to his disappearance in January 1998, Mr McCauley had only recently returned from Yuendumu in the Northern Territory, where he had been teaching art at an Aboriginal mission.
A man he knew from Yuendumu was staying with him at the time of his disappearance and the two men were joint owners of a 41ft yacht they had purchased months earlier when they were both working in the desert.
Police today made a public appeal for assistance to find a vehicle of interest in the case — a 1982 red Holden Gemini sedan with expired plates URL-407.
“We know this vehicle was sold by the last registered owner in 2009 to an unknown man in the Elizabeth area – either for parts of wrecking,” Det Supt Bray said.
“This vehicle may still be in a yard in the Elizabeth area and we are asking that anyone who knows of its whereabouts to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Det Supt Bray said police were looking for a person who provided valuable information about the case to Crime Stoppers earlier this month.
“Investigators would ask that person to ring again to speak directly with a detective from Major Crime about this investigation and we remind that person their identity can remain confidential,” he said.
Mr McCauley’s disappearance was one of 54 unsolved matters in which rewards were offered by the government in March this year.
There is a $200,000 reward connected with the case for anyone providing information leading to the apprehension and conviction of the person or people responsible for the death of Mr McCauley.