Marilyn Wallman cold case: David Wallman uncovers possible new person of interest

The brother of Marilyn Wallman believes he has uncovered another person of interest in his sister’s cold case murder as it reaches 50 years since her disappearance.

The brother of Marilyn Wallman believes he has uncovered another person of interest in his sister’s cold case murder.

Monday marked the 50 year anniversary of her disappearance as she was riding her bike to the school bus on March 21, 1972.

Older brother David Wallman, who lives at St Helen’s Beach, said it was more important than ever to find answers.

“We keep saying we’ll never give up, but we haven’t come up with any answers, police haven’t come up with any answers as yet,” Mr Wallman said.

“Mum and dad are not getting any younger.”

Daphne and John Wallman was to know what happened to their daughter Marilyn, who went missing 50 years ago on March 21, 1972.

Marilyn’s parents John and Daphne Wallman are both in their mid 80s.

“We have to give especially mum a solution before she dies,” Mr Wallman said.

“We just want to know why. If we could find those answers out. Why did it happen? Was it by accident that someone drove up there and hit her with their car? Was it a planned thing? And where is she now?”

Mr Wallman said he had uncovered a possible new person of interest in his sister’s case.

“It’s gone to the detectives of course,” he said, adding the officers he was in contact with over the case had not ruled this person of interest out.

“Mum still feels like it happened yesterday.”

Marilyn Wallman’s bike on the side of the rural Eimeo road where she went missing in March 1972.

It remains the state’s longest running child abduction cases and for David this day his sister vanished was still “clear as day”.

The 14 year old was peddling along the rural road when she disappeared near Wallman and Eimeo Rds.

Brothers David and Rex followed the same route shortly after discovering her bicycle and school bag.

David ran home to tell their mother, as Rex heard muffled screams, voices and noises from the canefield as he waited near her bike.

“I’ll never forget that,” he said.

Two years after her disappearance a local man found a skull fragment at Mirani Mount Ossa Rd, about 40km from where she went missing, and in 2015 modern DNA testing identified it belonged to Marilyn.

In 2018 police revealed they believed they knew who was responsible and that there was a person of interest in Mackay who could help solve the case.

So far no one has been arrested.

Mr Wallman said he became aware of this other person of interest “a couple of months ago” and made his own inquiries before taking it to police.

The family was also pushing for the reward to increase to $1m.

In 2018 it was doubled to $500,000 in the hope it would elicit more evidence, but the temporary increase lapsed after 12 months the amount returned to $250,000.

“We’re the only state in Australia that doesn’t put rewards up to $1m,” Mr Wallman said.

Marilyn's brothers David and Rex and sister Lenore with mother and father John and Daphne Wallman, look at period newspaper cuttings police photographs and reward notices from the time when daughter schoolgirl Marilyn Wallman disappeared in 1972. Photo: Lyndon Mechielsen/The Australian

“For this case and where we are, it’s something that could trigger somebody to bring forward that little bit of information and help solve this case.”

Family and friends of Marilyn held a church service in her memory on Sunday.

“Poor mum couldn’t get out of bed (Monday) … it just drained her,” Mr Wallman said.

This publication reached out to police in relation to the case but the officer declined to comment.

“The case remains an open unsolved homicide investigation,” a police spokeswoman said.

Loved ones of Marilyn Wallman held a church service for the 50 year anniversary of her disappearance on March 21, 1972.

“A government reward of $250,000 remains on offer for information which leads to the apprehension and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the murder of Marilyn Wallman.

“Police would encourage any person with information relating to unsolved homicide cases in Queensland to contact Crime Stoppers.

“As a full coronial report has been provided to the Coroner, police are unable to comment further.”