Shandee Blackburn murder inquest could be reopened after pathology lab failures

A coronial inquest into the murder of Shandee Blackburn is set to be reopened after forensic lab failures during the unsolved case were aired. Her family say it’s a step in the right direction.

The family of murdered woman Shandee Blackburn say a political push to reopen the coronial inquest into her death is a “step in the right direction” as the Attorney-General prepares to write to the Coroner about re-examining the case.

Earlier today Health Minister Yvette D’Ath indicated she would write to Attorney-General Shannon Fentiman asking for the case to be reopened.

The next step will be for Ms Fentiman to write to the Coroner to request he looks into the possibility of reopening the inquest.

“Naturally we are quite excited, very very pleased that this first step in the right direction has been taken,” mother Vicki Blackburn said on Thursday after learning of this latest development.

“What comes of this, we don’t know. It’s a long journey, it’s been nearly nine years to date and this is the first step to … hopefully getting the truth and … justice for Shandee.”

This move came after Ms Blackburn called Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk a hypocrite after the premier shifted blame over forensic lab failures during her daughter’s murder case.

She is pushing for an independent review into the pathology lab that processed the evidence from the 23 year old’s unsolved murder and failed to return adequate DNA findings.

Vicki Blackburn, mother of slain Mackay woman Shandee Blackburn, has hit out at Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk over comments "fobbing off" blame regarding the forensic lab failures.

This came to light as part of an investigative podcast by The Australian’s national chief correspondent Hedley Thomas into Shandee’s February 2013 stabbing death.

Shandee’s mother and her sister Shannah want the Queensland Government to hand over all DNA samples and records to an independent facility and for the Queensland Health-run lab to be investigated.

In parliament this morning Ms D’Ath said in relation to the claims over the forensic evidence there was “sufficient public interest and questions to be addressed to warrant me writing to the Attorney-General to consider requesting the coroner reopen the matter.

A spokesman from the minister’s office said this came following discussions with the Premier and the matter was now up to Ms Fentiman to consider.

It is understood she will now write to the Coroner David O’Connell to request he looks into the possibility of reopening the inquest.

Shandee Blackburn was murdered in February 2013 while walking home from work.

“The death of Shandee Blackburn was absolutely tragic and I understand this is an ongoing and personal issue for her family,” Ms Fentiman said.

“I understand the Health Minister will be writing to me regarding the possibility of the Coroner reopening the inquest into the death of Shandee Blackburn.

“The next step will be writing to the Coroner to request that they look into the possibility of reopening the inquest.”

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.

Shandee Blackburn with her former boyfriend John Peros.

As episodes of Hedley Thomas’s podcast are released weekly, Shandee’s family and friends are learning about these developments almost at the same time as the rest of Australia.

Ms Blackburn said the feedback had been extremely positive.

“A lot of people are quite upset to hear all the evidence that hasn’t, until the podcast, been put out into the open,” she said.

“We’ve always asked for justice, but truth is the first thing.”

During parliament question time on Wednesday, Opposition Leader David Crisafulli questioned Ms Palaszczuk on when the government would launch an independent investigation into the lab in the face of “overwhelming evidence” of evidence mismanagement.

“This matter occurred in 2013, we weren’t in government at that time,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

The Australian is launching a new podcast series named Shandee's Story – taking a look at the brutal unsolved murder of Shandee Blackburn that has haunted Mackay for eight years.

“There was a full coronial investigation into this matter.”

Ms Palaszczuk also said the LNP had inflicted cuts on the service.

“It’s something of such fundamental importance, to be fobbed off the way it was is just insulting to every Queenslander,” Ms Blackburn said on Wednesday over the premier’s response.

“The potential for the person who took Shandee’s life to be held accountable and taken off the streets could very well be held in those DNA samples and they are not the slightest bit (concerned).”

Ms Blackburn said the premier was among a number of politicians at a White Ribbon lunch this past Friday who “all stood and vowed to do whatever they could for domestic violence”.

QR code to The Australian's new podcast Shandee's Story.

“And then to turn around and go, fobbed off,” she said.

“Does that mean they’ll only work for domestic violence victims … during their campaign or their term in office.

“Shandee’s case was prior but this situation is still ongoing.

“It’s a bit hypocritical to go out and say we’re going to do everything we can … to prevent domestic violence, but not that.”

A spokesman for the premier’s office said Ms Palaszczuk had sought advice from the director general in relation to the matter.

When asked if this was specifically in relation to an independent review into the pathology lab the spokesman said, “She’s asked for advice in regards to the matters raised recently in media.”