State Coroner’s update on Lesley Larkin murder, Noosa cold case

The grisly murder of a Noosa yoga instructor in 1984 may never be solved as fresh details of the decades-long investigation into her bludgeoning death emerge.

Noosa yoga instructor Lesley Larkin was found severely injured in her Noosa Heads apartment in 1984 and later died in hospital, sparking a murder investigation.

The cold case of a Noosa yoga instructor who was bludgeoned to death almost four decades ago may never be solved as fresh details emerge about the possibility of another inquest into her murder.

Lesley Larkin was found with severe head injuries just after midnight in her Kareela Ave unit in Noosa Heads in 1984 after being hit with a heavy, blunt object several times.

 

Chef Ethan Graham Riley arrested on choking charges

The 31-year-old sadly lost her life the next day at the Royal Brisbane Hospital with no charges laid almost 40 years later.

In the years since her death, the Homicide Cold Case Investigation team along with the Coroners Court of Queensland had investigated and opened an inquest into Ms Larkin’s death.

Senior police sources say there was a focus on two individuals in the early stages of the investigation, with detectives later focusing on one person of interest.

Lesley Larkin was found heavily bludgeoned in her Noosa Heads unit on November 9, 1984.

It’s understood however there was never enough evidence for detectives to make significant headway.

A Coroners Court of Queensland spokeswoman said after an inquest in 1986, the Coroner was unable to find any evidence to commit a person to trial for Ms Larkin’s Death.

“Section 50A of the Coroners Act 2003 allows the State Coroner to reopen an inquest if satisfied new evidence casts doubt on the finding or it is otherwise in the public interest,” the spokeswoman said.

Lesley Larkin’s murder remains unsolved.

Detectives had been awaiting results of recent DNA testing from New Zealand, but the State Coroner was advised in November this year the testing had yielded no results.

“The Queensland Police Service Cold Case Team in the Homicide Investigation Unit reviewed the case and advised the State Coroner that it has not identified any direct evidence that implicates any person/s as being responsible for the death of Ms Larkin,” a State Coroners Office spokeswoman said.

 

Adam James Towle-McCully denied bail on Tewantin home invasion charges

“In the absence of further DNA evidence, the State Coroner will now consider whether there is any basis for the reopening of the inquest.”

For Ms Larkin’s family, the hunt for her killer which has stretched for almost four decades has felt like an eternity.

Her younger sister Juanita Wotherspoon, who was 10 at the time of her sister’s death, choked back tears as she spoke of the possibility they may never get a conviction for Ms Larkin’s death.

“It’s all very sad, I really feel for Lezzie (sic) … it hasn’t been fair,” Ms Wotherspoon said.

Ms Wotherspoon said her family had always doubted the comprehensiveness of the original investigation in the 1980s, hoping there would’ve been more tests and evidence available.

One such lead was the identity of a mystery caller Ms Wotherspoon said Ms Larkin had spoken to over the phone before her murder.

Patsy Lleiss and Juanita Wotherspoon in November 2018. Picture: David Martinelli

Ms Larkin’s sister said their family including her mother Patsy Lleiss and sister Francesca Levy felt there was one suspect as well.

Now as Ms Larkin’s mum Ms Lleiss succumbs to early onset dementia, Ms Wotherspoon wants to believe there will be a result in the murder case.

“We just feel like the original coronial reports in the ‘80s … there weren’t enough questions asked of certain people, these days it would be different,” Ms Wotherspoon said.

Ms Wotherspoon said their family had always praised the work of the cold case workers who looked into Ms Larkin’s murder, saying they “did everything they possibly could” to find the killer.

In response to the Coroner’s comments on the case, Ms Wotherspoon said another inquest in this day and age would differ enormously from their original investigation in the 1980s.

“I just feel like there should be something again that could be done, anything would be great, we would always be very grateful,” she said.

The case remains open with continual appeals for information issued over the years including a $250,000 reward offered for intelligence which led to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for Ms Larkin’s murder.

Investigators continue to appeal for this crucial knowledge and urge anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.