Peggy Jacobs cold case: Haunting coroner’s report details resurface

She should’ve turned 61 last week — but instead, Peggy Jacobs’ name haunts one of Townsville’s darkest mysteries. Fifteen years after her hit-and-run death, chilling coroner’s findings resurface, shedding new light on her final moments.

Police at the corner of Abbott and O'Donnell Street in Oonoonba, the scene of Peggy Jacob’s fatal hit-and-run in 2009.

She should have been celebrating her 61st birthday a week ago.

Instead, Peggy Jean Jacobs’ name remains etched in one of Townsville’s most baffling unsolved cases — a deadly hit-and-run mystery that has haunted the city for 15 years.

With a $50,000 reward still on offer for information leading to the conviction of those responsible for Peggy’s death, the case remains ice-cold.

No new credible leads, no named suspects, no closure.

But the Townsville Bulletinhas now obtained a copy of the coroner’s report — laying bare all the grim details of that fateful night, in the hope that someone, somewhere, might finally come forward with the truth.

The final hours: Peggy’s last night alive

On the night of January 15, 2009, Peggy, 45, was drinking at an unknown location.

Witnesses say the mother of two got into an argument and was told to leave.

Alone, unsteady, and vulnerable, she wandered off into the night. It was the last time anyone saw her alive.

Peggy Jacobs was killed in a hit-and-run in Oonoonba in January 15. The mother of two's body was found in a bus zone on Abbott Street, across from O'Donnell Street between 11pm and 11.40pm. The hit and run remains unsolved despite extensive police investigations.

At 11.40pm, disaster struck. Peggy was walking or standing on Abbott Street, Oonoonba, when she was hit.

Forensic findings suggest she was struck on the left side of her body, around the sternum, by “some part of a vehicle or its payload.”

The impact sent her flying backward, slamming the back of her head onto the hard bitumen. She died at the scene.

Her body was later found lying in the middle of the road, just ten metres from the intersection of O’Donnell Street.

A passing motorist driving inbound with his son was the first to spot Peggy’s body and immediately alerted police.

Moments later, a surgical registrar from the Townsville University Hospital, travelling the same route, stopped to check for signs of life but found none.

The road was a well-lit, clearly marked dual carriageway with no operating traffic lights.

The weather conditions were fine and clear, meaning visibility was good at the time of the incident.

But no witnesses have ever come forward to confirm seeing the collision itself.

Police at the corner of Abbott and O'Donnell St Oonoonba where the incident occurred

What the coroner’s report revealed

A deep dive into the coroner’s findings exposes the devastating injuries Peggy suffered.

The impact of the collision left her with severe skull fractures, a lacerated heart, and multiple broken bones along the left side of her body.

The force of the hit propelled her backward, causing catastrophic head trauma as she struck the road.

Blood pooled beneath her head, a clear sign of just how hard she had hit the ground.

An autopsy revealed that Peggy had ischaemic heart disease and emphysema, underlying conditions that may have made her more vulnerable.

However, the cause of death was directly linked to the collision.

Toxicology results showed an extreme level of intoxication, with a blood alcohol reading of .295 and an even higher .383 in her urine.

Investigators believe she may have been highly disoriented, unsteady on her feet, and possibly unaware of the danger as she stepped into or lingered on the road.

Police at the corner of Abbott and O'Donnell St Oonoonba where the incident occurred

A forensic examination of the scene turned up few clues.

There were no skid marks, no debris from a vehicle, and no obvious signs that a driver had attempted to stop.

The position of her injuries suggested she had been clipped by an object just under a metre off the ground, possibly part of a vehicle’s tray or payload.

The impact zone was precise — level with her sternum — indicating a forceful but localised blow.

Police discovered a black prescription lens near Peggy’s body, but forensic testing could not confirm if it belonged to her.

No personal belongings, such as a handbag or mobile phone, were recovered.

FLASHBACK TO 2009: Peggy’s family members Delphine Broome and Daniel Williams spoke to the media to urge the public to come forward with any information into the tragic hit and run death. Inspector Brian Cannon is in the foreground of the photo.

A trail that went cold

Despite an exhaustive investigation, detectives hit brick wall after brick wall.

CCTV footage was reviewed, but poor lighting and grainy images led nowhere.

Several vehicles were examined, yet none showed signs of being involved in the incident.

Even a pair of black prescription glasses found near Peggy’s body offered no breakthrough.

Police combed through records of all vehicles entering and exiting Townsville in the days before and after the crash.

Surveillance footage of stolen vehicles, taxi logs, and vehicle break-ins were also investigated, but none provided any link to the case.

A forensic examination of the scene found no debris from a potential suspect vehicle, no skid marks, and no sign that the driver had braked or attempted to avoid hitting Peggy.

Police at the corner of Abbott and O'Donnell St Oonoonba where the incident occurred.

Officers conducted door-to-door inquiries at homes and businesses around Abbott and O’Donnell Streets, speaking to locals in an attempt to find someone who may have seen or heard something that night. Not a single person was able to provide a viable lead.

Despite a citywide search for damaged vehicles, none matched the evidence needed to close the case.

A media campaign was launched, urging anyone with information to come forward.

Crime Stoppers received multiple calls in the days following Peggy’s death, but none provided the missing piece investigators desperately needed.

FLASHBACK TO 2011: Assistant Commissioner Clem O'Regan (left) officially launched the $50 000 reward for information on the hit and run death of Peggy Jacobs after she was found dead on Abbott Road on 15 January 2009. Peggy Jacob's nephew Daniel Williams and Lena Jacobs her sister with Inspector Brian Cannon make a plea for information about the hit and run death of Peggy.

Even years later, when police reissued appeals for witnesses and offered a $50,000 reward for information, no credible leads emerged.

The case remains in limbo, with authorities unable to determine whether the driver even knew they had struck someone.

Any member of the public with information which could assist police is asked to contact the Townsville Criminal Investigation Branch, on [phone]; or call anonymously on Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000.

Originally published as Peggy Jacobs cold case: Haunting coroner’s report details resurface