15 South Australian forgotten cold cases: Unsolved murders and missing people including Stella Farrugia, Daniel Sheppard
They are the chilling murders and mysterious missing people cases that have haunted families and authorities for decades. Read the files on 15 baffling cases.
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South Australia has seen it all, unexplained disappearances, a lethal workplace poisoning and baffling murders but not all cases get solved in the immediate aftermath.
Cold cases dating back five decades continue to haunt families and authorities who hope tip offs and technological breakthroughs will help find answers no matter how much time passes.
An SA Police spokesperson said its Major Crime Investigation Branch review and investigate cold case murders under Operation Persist.
“Information from the public has previously led to several successful prosecutions,” they said.
“I would encourage anyone with information about a murder to contact Crime Stoppers and provide detectives the best opportunity to deliver justice to murder victims, their families, and friends.”
These are some of the state’s most chilling unsolved murders and missing people cases that may have been forgotten by the general public.
Antonio Giorgi
Murdered on May 2, 1970
The murder of Antonio Giorgi is one of SA’s oldest unsolved murders, dating back more than five decades, with no motives or witnesses.
The 44-year-old man was found murdered in the rear yard of his Essex St home at Woodville Gardens after he had been shot several times by what police believe was a large calibre handgun.
The neighbours heard shots at about 2.30am that morning but they didn’t investigate.
Mr Giorgi is believed to have returned home from a late shift at the then GMH plant at Woodville where he worked as a spot welder.
No motive has been established for this murder.
Stella Farrugia
Reported missing on October 18, 1984
The traceless disappearance of Stella Farrugia, a young woman described as outgoing, kind, and generous although a little naive and easily led on, continues to baffle investigators.
The 18-year-old was the youngest child of a conservative immigrant family from Malta and it is understood this created a strained relationship between parents and daughter.
In the year leading up to her disappearance Ms Farrugia unexpectedly moved to Queensland to live with her sister Christine, where she got into a relationship.
The young couple returned to Adelaide in 1984, staying at several homes before settling in Henley Beach before splitting up.
Ms Farrugia then moved in with Wojciech Kubale who reported her missing on October 18, 1984.
Mr Kubale told police he came home and found her dog, bank books and personal possessions all at the flat – but no sign of her.
Police didn’t consider the disappearance suspicious believing the young woman had simply taken off.
Prior to her disappearance Ms Farrugia had written to her sister demanding she make contact by a specific date, threatening to cut ties if her demands weren’t met. She never received a response.
After Ms Farrugia’s family reported her missing to Sunshine Police in Queensland, authorities examined her previous properties, including those she lived in with her first boyfriend but there was no sign of her.
It is believed she either deliberately chose to move away and break all ties with her family – possibly with the assistance of someone who had offered her support – or that she had been met with foul play which seems more likely with every year that passes.
The Farrugia family received irregular phone calls where the person on the line didn’t speak but the number of calls tapered off until they completely stopped around five or six years after the disappearance.
Both boyfriends remain persons of interest in the case, although Mr Kubale died in 2010.
Daniel Sheppard
Last seen January 1, 1995
For most people, New Year’s Day marks the day of new beginnings, but for the Sheppard family it will always be the day they lost a 19 year old son and brother.
This upcoming New Year’s Day will be the 30th anniversary since Daniel Sheppard disappeared without a trace.
On 31 December 1994, Daniel attended New Year’s Eve celebrations with his twin brother Michael at Lennies Tavern in Glenelg before leaving with some of his friends to continue the party at Hindley St.
It is understood on New Year’s Day, 1995, Daniel walked to the Adelaide Railway Station and boarded a train heading towards Outer Harbour to go home.
On the train, Daniel ran into two girls he knew and told them “I’m partied out … I’m going home to crash”, and although he was moderately drunk the girls believed him to still be in control of his faculties.
At 4.35am, Daniel got off the train at Port Adelaide and was seen walking on the southern pedestrian ramp towards Baynes Place.
It should have taken him 10 minutes to get home but he never made it to his destination.
Police are still investigating the case and offer a reward of up to $200,000 to anyone who provides information that leads to a conviction in this case or the recovery of the victim’s remains.
Brian David Underwood
Murdered on July 25, 1991
At around 4pm, Brain Underwood – a sales manager on Carrington St – suddenly collapsed at his workplace.
The father of two received on-site treatment before being rushed to the Royal Adelaide Hospital in critical condition.
Despite the efforts he succumbed to his injuries later that evening around 6.30pm.
A post-mortem examination revealed a lethal dose of potassium cyanide in Mr Underwood’s system.
Police later discovered a forged receipt for potassium cyanide among the belongings of a woman who was previously employed at his workplace – and she remains a person of interest in this case.
Investigators believe Mr Underwood was a victim of a targeted attack from someone who had access to his workplace.
More than 30 years on, no charges have been filed in connection to his death.
Vasilios “Bill” Antonoglou
Murdered on March 7, 1987
Vasilios “Bill” Antonoglou was a well-known figure in the Greek community, often working as a musician at Greek functions around Adelaide.
But on March 7, 1987, the 36-year-old was found murdered in Brownhill Creek Reserve shot in the upper torso with a shotgun.
During investigations, the police were informed by those who were close to Mr Antonoglou that the musician was involved in a number of relationships with married Greek women.
It was believed Mr Antonoglou’s affairs were the reason he was murdered.
Three men were arrested in relation to the case but in November 1989 the Director of Public Prosecution entered a nolle prosequi meaning the case against them was withdrawn.
A reward of up to $200,000 is offered for anyone with information that results in a conviction.
Susana Margaret Bobridge
Murdered on January 10, 1997
Susana Margaret Bobridge was last seen alive on a Thursday night getting into a white car on Part Rd at West Hindmarsh but less than 12 hours later her body was found along the walking trail in the sand hills at Tennyson.
The 30 year old died from gunshot wounds to the head.
It is believed the only occupant of the white vehicle was a male driver who met Ms Bobridge on January 9 about 9.30pm.
Police inquiries indicate she was shot the same night about 10.10pm before her body was discovered the following morning at 8am.
Ms Bobridge was drug-dependent, as well as a known prostitute – generally only soliciting when she needed money for heroin when she would pick up clients on Port Rd.
Letters from criminals serving time were also found on her property.
Before her death she was known to smuggle drugs into prisons for inmates and those released on home detention often used her address.
In early 1997, Major Crime received several phone calls from an anonymous man about Ms Bobridge’s killing; his information has proven to be accurate.
Police have previously appealed to this man to step forward as investigators believe he may hold the key to solving this case.
Liet Van Duong
Believed murdered on December 1, 1984
The body of Liet Van Duong was located in a shallow grave in the scrubland near Whyalla in December 1984.
The 36-year-old was last seen alive on October 26.
The cause of Mr Duong’s death was never established and could not exclude natural causes.
Mr Duong’s partner was arrested and tried for offences relating to the disposal of his body, – they were convicted – but this was later quashed on appeal.
A reward of up to $200,000 is still offered to anyone with information that might lead to the conviction of the person or persons responsible for the suspected murder of Mr Duong.
Yasmina Sinodinos
Murdered on December 18, 1991
It is believed Yasmina Sinodinos’ body was washed, re-dressed and dumped in the scrubland at Tea Tree Gully before it was found on December 18, 1991.
The 25-year-old was last seen alive by a friend as she left a Gilles Plains house three days earlier at around 6am before meeting a man and getting into a silver Sigma sedan.
The mother of three died some time after due to significant head injuries and her body was dumped at Anstey Hill Recreation Park.
The Mount Gambier woman was a drug user with connections to the underworld and travelled into the city to meet friends.
Police had a breakthrough in the case in November 2012 when the DNA obtained at the post-mortem had a partial match with a suspect for her murder – a former schoolteacher Timo Pasanen.
Mr Pasanen was charged with Ms Sinodinos’ murder, the case outlined to the jury at a Supreme Court trial in May 2014 provided both forensic and circumstantial evidence including the DNA which proved he had sex with her shortly before she died.
During the trial, Mr Pasanen admitted to “hooking up” with Ms Sinodinos but he could not remember exactly when, where, why, how or how many times he had sex with her.
In the end, the Supreme Court jury found him not guilty of murder by majority verdict.
David ‘John’ Saint
Murdered on April 16, 1991
Detectives believe the violent bashing of 40 year old David ‘John’ Saint was a hate crime attack.
Mr Saint’s body was found lying face down in the bushes on South Terrace, Adelaide on April 16, 1991 at about 10.30pm.
He has suffered a severe fracture of the skull and lacerations to the rear of his head corresponding with a bloodstained ‘herringbone’ patterned paving brick found at the scene.
Mr Saint was known to frequent gay beats along South Terrace and his death is suspected to be a hate crime bashing.
Police have previously had reports of three males, travelling in a light-coloured van, driving through the parklands and harassing people – but the men suspected of his murder have never been found.
Karen Michelle Williams
Last seen August 4, 1990
The place time Karen Williams was seen was at a Coober Pedy petrol station in 1990.
It was established that the 16-year-old had spent time with friends at the Opal Inn at Coober Pedy before going to a private party at Sergios Restaurant in the early hours of Saturday, August 4, 1990.
Between 5am and 6am Ms Williams and three friends left the restaurant on foot.
They were collected by a young male and driven to the corner of Medway Drv and Lehman Pl where her friends left the vehicle and the man drove several hundred metres along nearby Dawes St.
A short time later Ms Williams and the man were seen in a vehicle at the Caltex Service Station before leaving and driving south along Hutchison St, then turning left onto the Stuart Highway. She has not been seen since.
In 2013, Nikola Novakovich, a former resident of Coober Pedy was arrested and charged with her murder but in August 2016, he was acquitted by a Supreme Court judge.
There have been multiple intensive searches of the mine shafts around Coober Pedy in search for the teen’s body but to no avail.
Jeffrey John May
Died on December 29, 1982
Jeffrey May was found on the concrete floor below the tramway bridge over the Sturt Creek at Glengowrie on 29 December 1982.
Police investigations revealed the 19 year old and his friends were set upon by a group of people and he was assaulted on the tramway bridge while trying to escape.
As a result of the assault he fell to the concrete creek bed below and sustained critical injuries.
Mr May left behind a partner and a young daughter, with another daughter born while he was on life support fighting for his life.
Samuel Hayward
Murdered on 20 November, 1988
The body of Samuel Hayward was discovered by his mother and sister at his Kingston Park home after he failed to arrive at work on November 22, 1988.
The cause of death was a series of blows to the 46-year-old accountant’s head with a dumbbell which was located next to his body, as well as being strangled with an electrical cord.
Mr Hayward was believed to be single at the time of his death, however, police are interested in a link to the gay community at the time.
Investigators believe he knew his killer and had most likely spent the previous few days with him, including lunch at McLaren Vale and walking on the beach in Kingston Park on November 19.
It is believed Mr Hayward was murdered either that night or early the next day.
A single unidentified fingerprint belonging to the probable offender was found in the bathroom.
The suspect fled in Mr Hayward’s Suzuki hatch and travelled through Victoria and up to New South Wales using his credit cards and neatly forging Mr Hayward’s signature.
When he tried to buy Ray-Ban sunglasses at Port Kembla on Thursday, November 24, the card was flagged as stolen and later that day the Suzuki was found abandoned in Wollongong.
Detectives confirmed the fingerprints at the crime scene match those found in the vehicle and the credit cards.
The prints were uploaded onto the national database and on the Interpol pool but no match has ever been found.
Mr Hayward’s television, stereo unit and a scale model of the early warship USS Constitution were also stolen.
It is believed the items were taken to either be sold for cash or to make it seem that the murder was a robbery gone wrong.
Giuseppe “Joe” Iannella
Disappeared in February 1975
The unexplainable disappearance of Giuseppe “Joe” Iannella has forced police to believe he was murdered.
Mr Iannella lived with his wife and four children at the family dairy farm on Lake Plains Rd, Milang, however, sometime between February and August 1975 he appears to have disappeared.
Since then the 46 year old has not made any contact with family or friends, and there have been no reported sightings.
In September 2006, Major Crime detectives conducted excavations at Mr Iannella’s Milang dairy farm looking for his remains or any other item associated with his disappearance, without success.
Kenneth Camplin
Reported Missing on 30 December, 2013
Forty-two minutes after Kenneth ‘Kenny’ Camplin sent a text message to a friend at 1.26am on December 27, 2013 his mobile phone was disconnected and it never returned online.
Three days later, the Paralowie man’s disappearance was reported by his brother.
Police establish Mr Camplin travelled to Barossa Valley to visit a friend at Lyndoch on Christmas Day.
He returned to his Elder Ct home the next morning and made several calls to friends.
On 27 December at 12.25am, CCTV captured Mr Camplin going through a nearby McDonald’s drive-through before returning home as investigators found the receipt of his purchase on the premises.
After several days of trying to contact Mr Camplin, his concerned brother and close friend visited his home and found the back door of the home unlocked and the dog near death due to dehydration and starvation.
They believed this was out of character for the security-conscious man.
Police believe something happened to Mr Caplin in the 42 minute window between sending the text and his phone being disconnected.
No firm motive has ever been established for the case although it was discovered he was caught up in a number of disputes including some over girlfriends and others over WorkCover.
Mr Camplin’s role as a known low-level drug dealer and user complicated the investigation with at least two of his associates lying or obstructing the investigation.
Rosemary Brown and her daughter Melissa Brown (Trussell)
Last seen May 13, 2000
Mother Rosemary Brown, 33, her daughter Melissa Brown – also known as Melissa Trussell – and son Nathan Davidson were living at the Windsor Gardens Caravan Park but soon after they were evicted – tragedy hit.
The family was evicted on May 3, 2000, because of unpaid rent and complaints about youths loitering and they moved into the caravan of another park resident, Mark Nicholls, at his invitation.
But three days later, all four were evicted from the caravan park and they slept at the Gardens Island boat ramp in Mr Nicholls’ caravan.
The following day, Rosemary arranged for them to stay in the yard of a friend’s home in Blair Athol in Mr Nicholl’s caravan.
Mr Nicholls was the last to see the mother and daughter at 1.30am Saturday, May 13.
Seven weeks later Rosemary’s body was discovered in the mangroves at Garden Island.
Melissa’s body has never been found although it is suspected she was murdered and her body disposed of in the same area.
Rosemary’s handbag was discovered in Stirling St, Northfield at the time of her disappearance, although it was handed to the police only on May 23, after a public appeal about the missing women.
Numerous people have been questioned at length over the murders — including the owner of the caravan — but there is no firm suspect.
The investigation has been hampered by a lack of crime scene evidence and lack of forensic evidence.
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