Wynarka suitcase murder victim identified as Khandalyce Kiara Pearce; her mother Karlie Pearce-Stevenson was also violently killed
UPDATED: Police have a suspect in the double murder of Karlie Pearce-Stevenson and her daughter Khandalyce, according to reports.
- BREAKTHROUGH: The one phone call they needed
- THE REACTION: Wynarka residents relieved for ‘little angel’
- KEY QUESTION: Why was the missing persons report withdrawn?
- THE HIDING SPOT: Belanglo, the forest of nightmares
POLICE have a suspect in the double murder of Karlie Pearce-Stevenson and her daughter Khandalyce.
Police potentially have a key suspect in the murders, and have identified a male suspect - a man currently in a NSW jail for unrelated offences.
Meanwhile, the family of murdered mother Karlie Pearce-Stevenson and her daughter Khandalyce has started an online appeal to raise funds to bring their bodies home to the Northern Territory, as police hunting the evil killer focus on the pair’s travels across Australia..
The appeal started yesterday on crowd funding site Oz Crowd and is titled: ‘Please help lay Belanglo Angel (Karlie) and Wynarka Suitcase Angel (Khandalyce) to rest with family in Alice Springs.”
“Our family is asking for assistance to help us raise the funds to bring Karlie and Khandalyce’s remains home to Alice Springs so that they can be reunited and laid to rest together with family,” the appeal says.
“Absolutely any help people can provide to help us to bring them home to their family for the funeral they deserve and the closure the family has waited for after a gruelling six years would be greatly appreciated.
“Help us finally bring them home and lay them to rest in peace.”
It is understood Ms Pearce-Stevenson’s mother died in 2010 in Alice Springs, still believing her daughter and granddaughter were safe and living interstate.
In the post the family said it was “devastating news” to learn that their “beloved” Karlie and Khandalyce were the “Belanglo angel” and the “little Wynarka suitcase angel”.
The appeal has raised more than $3900 of the $5000 goal.
The travels of Ms Pearce-Stevenson and Khandalyce are now the focus of detectives on the trail of their killer.
SA Police on Thursday cancelled a planned press conference, but released a statement thanking the public for its support.
Police said that 30 Crime Stoppers calls had been received in SA, and about a dozen in other states since they revealed the identity of Khandalyce, the little girl whose remains were found in the suitcase near Wynarka in July.
In a shock development in the disturbing case, detectives revealed it had become a double-murder investigation following the identification of skeletal remains — found 1100km away in the infamous Belanglo State Forest in NSW in August 2010 — as that of Khandalyce’s mother, Ms Pearce-Stevenson.
Detectives from both SA and NSW continue to work together in Sydney on the case, sifting through and evaluating information on the Karlie and Khanadlyce and their whereabouts in the lead up to their deaths.
Major Crime detectives again appealed for anyone who knew the pair while they were in SA in late 2008 to come forward. They also urged hotel, motel and caravan park owners to examine their booking records for the pair.
Belanglo, south of Sydney, was the killing field of serial murderer Ivan Milat but he is not a suspect as he was in jail at the time of Ms Pearce-Stevenson’s death.
She was found by a trail-bike rider and remained unidentified until a DNA profile obtained by SA police was provided to NSW Homicide Squad detectives in recent days. Until then, she had been dubbed “angel’’ because a T-shirt with an angel motif was found with her remains.
The pair travelled to Adelaide in November, 2008. It is unknown how long they stayed in the city before travelling to NSW, where Karlie was murdered, most likely in 2009.
Detective Superintendent Des Bray of the Major Crime Investigation Branch said investigators had advised family members of the positive identifications on Wednesday morning and they were still coming to terms with their loss.
“The families of Karlie and Khandalyce are grateful to the police, the community and media and everyone who has assisted or provided information in this investigation,’’ the family said in a statement.
“As you would expect, our family is devastated by this news of the deaths of Karlie and Khandalyce and we are trying to deal with the grief.
“We understand that this case has created considerable interest across the country but at this time we ask that you respect our privacy to allow us to grieve. Thank you.”
Det-Supt Bray stressed that no family member was a suspect in the murders.
“Ms Pearce-Stevenson and Khandalyce are from a loving family,’’ he said.
Police have established that both Karlie and Kandalyce were born in Alice Springs. Karlie moved from the town in 2008 and started to travel with her daughter.
“Contact with the family became less over time and on September 4, 2009, Ms Pearce-Stevenson’s mother raised a missing-person report with the Northern Territory Police,’’ Det-Supt Bray said.
“It is understood that report was closed on September 10, 2009, after it was believed Ms Pearce-Stevenson was safe and well but did not want family contact. This is one of the most shocking crimes imaginable and has torn apart and devastated a loving family.
“Those responsible for this crime are truly evil and remain among us in the community and must be held accountable for what they have done.’’
Det-Supt Bray said police investigations would now concentrate on attempting to track the pair’s movements across Australia since they left Alice Springs.
The last positive sighting of them was on Saturday, November 8, 2008, when Karlie was driving on the Stuart Hwy, near Coober Pedy. At that time, Karlie was aged 20 and Khandalyce was 2. Det-Supt Bray said caravan park and motel owners could help solve the case, adding: “If you operate one of these businesses please check your records from December 1, 2008. We know they stayed in caravan parks and places like that. Someone may be able to tell us who she was travelling with, who she ate with and help identify the person responsible.
“People can help us quickly solve this by identifying if she booked in under her name; they may have car-registration numbers, credit cards used by another person she was with or used at a local shop, that sort of thing.
“If we can identify where they have stayed that will open up the door for us.
“It is with everyone’s assistance we have reached this very important breakthrough.”
Det-Supt Bray stressed it was important to note “the identification is only the beginning of the investigation.’’
He said the fact Ms Pearce-Stevenson’s remains were found in the forest might prove to be a red herring to focus police attention there.
“The circumstances of her death are yet to be confirmed and we have theories. We suspect Belanglo is something to throw us off track. We will not speculate about who was killed first, when, or where.’’
Police believe the Lanza suitcase containing Khandalyce’s skeletal remains, a quilt and clothing was dumped behind a tree around 10m off the Karoonda Hwy, 1.5km west of Wynarka, in either late March or early April this year.
It was partially emptied behind the tree, where the remains were found, before being dragged closer to the highway, where many people inspected its contents in the ensuing months.
The skeletal remains were found on July 14 by a passing motorist who noticed more clothing behind the tree and inspected it. Since that time, investigators have been attempting to identify her by both DNA and by tracing the origins of the clothing in the suitcase.
Major Crime detectives are still attempting to locate a mystery man seen carrying the suitcase in and around Wynarka. Police have 15 confirmed sightings of the caucasian man, aged in his 60s, carrying the suitcase in and around Wynarka between April 13 and May 26.
He had a neat appearance, was of light build and of average height. Last month, detectives investigating the case said he was a person of interest and his role would only be determined by locating him and speaking to him.
Detective Superintendent Mick Willing, the commander of the NSW Police Homicide Squad, said there were numerous lines of investigation now under way in that state.
“While we will do our best to keep the community informed, we need to first establish fact from fiction and ensure that we avoid speculation, which could damage our investigations,” Det-Supt Willing said.
Anyone with information that may assist the investigation is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000
Timeline: What’s happened so far
2006: Khandalyce Kiara Pearce born in Alice Springs to single mother Karlie Jade Pearce-Stevenson.
2008: Ms Pearce-Stevenson leaves family in Alice Springs and starts travelling around Australia with her young daughter.
LAST KNOWN SIGHTINGS
November 2008: The last known photos of Ms Pearce-Stevenson and Khandalyce were taken at Marion Shopping Centre. Khandalyce was pictured wearing a pink dress. Their last known sighting was driving on the Stuart Highway near Coober Pedy, in Far North South Australia, on November 8, 2008.
September 2009: Following less and less contact from Ms Pearce-Stevenson, her mother files a missing persons report with Northern Territory Police. The report is closed a week later after it was believed Ms Pearce-Stevenson was save but did not want family contact.
BELANGLO DISCOVERY
August 2010: The remains of a young woman were found by a group of trail-bike riders in Belanglo State Forest in New South Wales. The woman’s time of death is determined to have been anywhere from six months to 10 years prior. The discovery sparked speculation the bones could be a potential eighth victim of backpacker killer Ivan Milat. But the speculation was quickly discounted because Milat was jailed in 1996, well before the woman would have died. A T-shirt with a distinct motif featuring the word ‘Angelic’ was found with the remains and prompts the victim to be known as ‘Angel’.
December 2011: The woman’s remains were still unable to be identified and a computer-generated image of her face was released.
WYNARKA BONES
July 2015: The skeletal remains of a young child are found dumped in a Lanza suitcase alongside the Karoonda Highway, near Wynarka in the Murray Mallee, on July 14. Several items of clothing and a distinctive handmade quilt were found with the suitcase. Detectives determine the child met a violent death when aged 2.5-4 years old and was killed up to seven years earlier at another location. Thorough DNA testing fails to yield an identity.
August-September 2015: Police door knocked hundreds of properties in the Murray Mallee Region and received more than 1000 calls to Crime Stoppers as they investigate the discovery. The distinctive items of clothing and quilt were a key focus on the investigation. Data-matching software identified a list of 6300 possible victims across Australia.
CRUCIAL CALL
October 8, 2015: A caller to Crime Stoppers nominated Khandalyce as possibly being the little girl whose remains were found in the suitcase. The caller said they had not seen Khandalyce or Ms Pearce-Stevenson for some time and believed they were missing. Detectives obtained Khandalyce’s records that showed she had been immunised at the age of 18 months but received no further medical treatment and was never enrolled in school. Investigators then found a witness who had seen Khandalyce and her mother at Marion Shopping Centre in November 2008. She had photographed Khandalyce in a pink dress that was identical to that found with the remains in the suitcase. Police were also provided with photos of Khandalyce in a stroller with the handmade quilt that was also found in the suitcase.
DNA MATCHES
October 2015: A blood sample from Khandalyce’s medical records was analysed by Forensic Science South Australia and conclusively matched the DNA profile taken from the skeletal remains in the suitcase. Blood samples from Ms Pearce-Stevenson medical records were also used to develop a DNA profile. This was sent to police in NSW who confirmed that they matched that of the remains found in Belanglo State Forest in 2010.
How you can help
ONE mystery of the Wynarka case has been solved, but police still need help in finding the person who killed Khandalyce Kiara Pearce and her mother, Karlie Jade Pearce-Stevenson.
Ms Pearce-Stevenson was also murdered, and dumped in Belanglo State Forest, south of Sydney.
Detective Superintendent Des Bray, the officer in charge of the Major Crime Investigation Branch, has called on the Australian public to help catch a killer.
Supt Bray said people could help by:
HOTEL and caravan park owners checking their records for Karlie Pearce-Stevenson.
LANDLORDS checking leases for Karlie Pearce-Stevenson.
THE PUBLIC looking closely at their photographs to remember if they have come across either of the victims.
“It’s about the murder of a little girl, and everybody in our community must get behind the family and the police and provide whatever information they have about this,” Supt Bray said.
He said the mother and daughter visited Darwin, Alice Springs, Adelaide and Canberra at different times.
“We know they’ve stayed in motels, caravan parks, along that route and other areas and possibly through the Murray Mallee and Riverland,” he said.
“We’re asking that all landlords, motel operators, caravan park, cabin parks have a look at your records, everything’s on computer, it’s not hard.”
Police urge anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online at sa.crimestoppers.com.au
Information provided is treated with strict confidence and you can remain anonymous.
WHAT POLICE KNOW ABOUT KHANDALYCE
* Was travelling around South Australia with her mum in 2008
* Aged 2.5-4 years at time of her violent death
* caucasian with fair hair, 18cm long
* Was 90-95cm tall
* Her remains were found inside a grey Lanza suitcase dumped by the side of the road at Wynarka in July 2015
* She was killed at another location some time after late 2008
* Items of girl’s clothing found scattered around the suitcase included a black tutu, Dora the Explorer shirt and a pink booty with an embroidered butterfly on it
WHAT POLICE KNOW ABOUT KARLIE
* Aged 20 when last seen in late 2008
* Was travelling around South Australia with her daughter when she disappeared
* In September 2009, her family raised a missing-person report
* Was violently killed
* Her skeletal remains were found in Belanglo State Forest in August, 2010
* Was found alongside a short-sleeved T-shirt with the word “Angelic” in pink text, a rose and a heart with angel wings
* Not a victim of backpacker serial killer Ivan Milat — he was jailed before she was murdered
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