QLD police reopen cold case of teen girl murdered in 1975

Phone call provides clues as Queensland Police’s cold case unit sets its sights on the savage 1975 murder of a north Queensland teenager.

THE brutal unsolved murder of a Townsville teenager is now in the sights of Queensland Police’s crack cold case unit.

Catherine Pamela Graham, 18, was savagely murdered while working as a door-to-door saleswoman selling educational books in 1975.

The crack team solving Queensland’s most enduring murder mysteries

On the night of July 29 she had been canvassing homes in the Hermit Park area.

Ms Graham was due to be picked up by friends at 11pm but never made it to the meeting point.

The next day her body was found dumped in a paddock at Oak Valley alongside the Flinders Highway about 18km from Townsville.

She had suffered serious head injuries during an attack.

Catherine Pamela Graham, who was murdered in Townsville, 1975. Picture: Supplied

Critically, she may have given key information about her killer in a phone call to her mother.

“We know for a fact Catherine phoned her mother that night at 8.19pm from a phone box in Townsville area known as Rising Sun,” Homicide Group Det Supt. Chris Hodgman said today.

“During the call she told her mother she did not like the look of a man standing nearby.”

Police are appealing for information about the murder which carries a $250,000 reward and indemnity from prosecution.

Cold Case Investigation Team Detective Superintendent Chris Hodgman speaks on the fresh appeal for information over the murder of Townsville teenager Catherine Graham. Picture: Supplied.

Police Minister Mark Ryan said the Homicide Group’s Cold Case Investigation Team was one of the best in the nation.

“This renewed appeal for information calls on the community to help our police solve this brutal and unsolved crime,” he said.

“It is particularly important to stress the importance of the matter of indemnity offered along with this reward.”