Shandee Blackburn murder: Vicki Blackburn pushes for police reward increase
The mother of slain Mackay woman Shandee Blackburn is pushing to have the $250,000 reward for information about her daughter’s murder increased, as the nine-year anniversary draws near.
Police & Courts
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The mother of slain Mackay woman Shandee Blackburn is pushing to have the $250,000 reward for information about her daughter’s murder increased in a bid to finally have the killer brought to justice.
In a letter Vicki Blackburn has urged Police minister Mark Ryan to boost the amount, as the nine-year anniversary of the 23 year old’s vicious death draws near.
“We feel that there is a potential that people know something that they … either don’t feel is significant or they have been afraid to come out and say,” Ms Blackburn said.
“Until the podcast came out, people didn’t really understand the complications and the case in its entirety and just how much evidence there is.”
Ms Blackburn said Mr Ryan indicated he had forwarded on her request to Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll.
On February 9, 2013 it will be nine years since the popular young woman was brutally stabbed and left to die in a gutter on Boddington St, just metres from her home.
Former boyfriend John Peros was charged with her murder in 2014 and acquitted by a supreme court jury in 2017.
In 2020 after an inquest in 2019, Coroner David O’Connell named Mr Peros as her likely killer. He has repeatedly denied any involvement in her death.
A $250,000 reward for information leading to the identification and conviction of those responsible for Shandee’s murder was offered in March 2014.
In her letter to Mr Ryan, Ms Blackburn stated an increase may prompt someone “to rethink their status/loyalties and come forward with information, especially since previously unknown details have now been released”.
In September 2018, the $250,000 reward for information in the cold case homicide of 14-year-old Marilyn Wallman was doubled in a first of its kind move.
“In a case like this, I think $1m wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility,” Ms Blackburn said.
She is also pushing to have the coronial inquest into her daughter’s death reopened after forensic lab failures during the murder case came to light as part of an investigative podcast by The Australian’s national chief correspondent Hedley Thomas into Shandee’s death.
“We’re all still quite in shock over what’s come to light with the DNA … and that that level of incompetence has been allowed to continue for so long,” she said.
“I think (the podcast) has highlighted to everybody what’s actually happened in the case and I’m hoping if the reward is increased it just may be the catalyst for someone or some people to come forward with what they know which may be enough to bring the case back to court,” Ms Blackburn said.
As the tragic anniversary date looms, Ms Blackburn said emotionally she was not great.
“This last year has been very difficult for both Shannah and I, we’ve struggled quite a bit,” she said.
“But it has strengthened our resolve, we are on the right path in doing what we’re doing.”
Ms Blackburn thanked everyone who had been involved with and had offered support in her fight.
“We couldn’t do it without them,” she said.
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