Rachel Antonio case hangs on missing 30 minutes

IT COMES down to just half an hour. That’s the window of time lifeguard Robert Hytch cannot verify his whereabouts the night schoolgirl Rachel Antonio vanished.

IT COMES down to just half an hour.

That’s the window of time lifeguard Robert Hytch cannot verify his whereabouts the night schoolgirl Rachel Antonio vanished from Bowen, north Queensland.

Mr Hytch, who was 25 years old at the time and captain of the local Surf Life Saving Club, says he left his brother’s birthday party to get ice and a video.

But he was gone longer than expected, and when he returned home he’d forgotten the ice and had no shirt on.

What happened in that crucial time he was away?

That’s the subject of the latest instalment of investigative podcast Searching for Rachel Antonio, launched today.

He has always denied having a relationship with Rachel and having anything to do with her disappearance.

At about the same time Mr Hytch left the party, Rachel was seen walking along the Esplanade at Queens Beach.

She was meant to be at the movies, but had told friends she was going to meet Mr Hytch. The 16-year-old claimed she had faked a pregnancy, and that they were going to discuss it that night.

It was the last confirmed sighting of Rachel, whose parents have had no justice and no body to bury.

Robert Hytch and Rachel Antonio. Picture: Digitally altered

Mr Hytch – who has always denied any involvement in Rachel’s disappearance – said he left his brother’s party at about 7pm.

Video 2000 was a six-minute drive away but records show he did not rent his movie, Toy Story, until 7.39pm. He was in the store for just a few minutes before hiring the movie – leaving a gap of about half an hour in which he cannot corroborate his whereabouts.

His claim is his car broke down on the way to the video store, and again on the way home. Guests say he rejoined the party at some time after 7.45pm.

Mr Hytch was acquitted of Rachel’s manslaughter at a 2001 retrial.

But Coroner David O’Connell re-examined the case and in July found Mr Hytch killed the teenager and hid her body. Mr Hytch is appealing in a case that is ongoing.

For the first time, photographs from the police investigation can be published after Mr O’Connell released the brief of evidence to The Courier-Mail. Among the images are pictures of Mr Hytch with detectives at the two locations he claims his car broke down.

He claims the breakdowns delayed him and dirtied his white Nike shirt – a crucial item of clothing that has never been recovered.

Transcripts from the brief of evidence reveal Mr Hytch – on the surface – co-operated with police. With his lawyer Kevin Baxter present, he answered questions from detectives at the sites where he said he broke down.

Robert Hytch’s Ford Sedan.

It was May 1 – six days after Rachel went missing.

Detective: “Did anyone come past you, that you recognised?”

Mr Hytch: “No.”

Detective: “Was anyone doing anything in the area?”

Mr Hytch: “There usually is people parked, up there, but I don’t think I seen any, no.”

Detective: “Did anyone stop to offer assistance?”

Mr Hytch: “No, no.”

Photograph of the sandals worn by Robert Paul Hytch, which police alleged had blood on them.

Police did recover the denim shorts he said he was wearing. His mum had washed them, but dark smudges, apparently from grease, can still be seen in a photograph. He was also wearing reef sandals. Police allege tiny droplets of Rachel’s blood were found on the strap of one of the sandals.

In an interview with police at Bowen station, also on May 1, Mr Hytch was questioned about his version of the night’s events.

Detective: “Has the vehicle ever caused you problems like this before?”

Mr Hytch: “No, um, not stalling like that, no.”

Detective: “Do you know where the white T-shirt is?”

Mr Hytch: “Wouldn’t have a clue.”

Later, Mr Hytch would say he’d left his Nike shirt in his car.

He voluntarily surrendered the car, a 1988 Ford Falcon sedan, to police.

A forensic examination of the car would find no incriminating evidence – but it would also find no sign of the missing shirt.

Episodes of Searching for Rachel Antonio will be released each Monday.

Follow the links to listen:

iPhone or iPad users search for “rachel antonio podcast” on iTunes — by clicking subscribe, each weekly episode will appear on your podcast app.

Android users can listen by following The Courier-Mail on Soundcloud at soundcloud.com/couriermail.