Family of missing murder victim Jessica Gaudie leads campaign for ‘no body, no parole” laws in Queensland

Tammy Jensen carries the pain of not knowing how her sister died as well as the grim reality that she could have been murdered herself.

Derek Sam is arrested a month after Jessica disappears.

TAMMY Jensen carries the pain of not knowing how her sister died as well as the grim reality that it could have been her that was murdered.

Ms Jensen is the older sister of Jessica Gaudie, who was 16 when she was kidnapped and murdered by Derek Bellington Sam while babysitting his children at their Nambour home on August 29, 1999.

Jessica Gaudie’s older sister Tammy, now 34, wants Derek Sam to stay in jail until he reveals where her sister’s remains are hidden.

Ms Gaudie’s body has never been found, but there was enough circumstantial evidence to convict Sam of the crime in 2002. He is serving a 15-year jail sentence.

Now aged 34, Ms Jensen is spearheading a campaign to have “No Body, No Parole” laws introduced in Queensland. It would mean that convicted killers who fail to reveal the location of their victim’s remains would be ineligible for parole.

“My family is lucky because Sam was convicted for Jessica’s murder but it would mean a lot for us to know where her remains are and have them returned to us,” she said. “It’s so hard not knowing where Jess is – it’s awful to think of her lying in a ditch somewhere. It’s those thoughts you can’t get out of your head.”

Ms Jensen believes Sam has not revealed the location of her sister’s body because the remains of two other women he is suspected of murdering – Celena Bridge and Sabrina Ann Glassop – could also be there.

Derek Sam is arrested a month after Jessica disappears.

She knows it could have been her, as she was asked to babysit Sam’s kids that night.

“His former partner lived about 100m down the road from us and we used to baby-sit for the kids next door, so she asked if I could babysit,” she said. “I had something on so Jess stepped in.

“Jess was a trusting and friendly person and wouldn’t have thought twice about opening the door but I don’t think I would have opened it for him.”

Ms Jensen said if the laws were introduced it was vital they applied retrospectively, so they could provide an incentive to convicted killers currently serving time in no-body cases.

The local MP, Member for Nicklin Peter Wellington, is backing the campaign and has called on Corrective Services Minister Bill Byrne to introduce the laws.

No body, no parole laws would see Derek Sam remain in jail until he reveals the location of Jessica’s body.

Ms Gaudie was murdered in his electorate and Mr Wellington believes Sam should never be considered for parole unless he reveals the location of her body.

“I’ve been approached by affected families from across the state and I believe the introduction of these laws is reasonable,” he said. “The devil’s in the detail but I do believe such laws need to be retrospective so they apply to offenders such as Sam.”

The State Government will consider a “No Body, No Parole” petition when parliament resumes.