Cold case: ‘Gift' key to hunt for Gaye Baker’s killer
A mysterious “gift” and an anonymous letter could be key to solving one of Queensland’s most enduring cold case murders, the mysterious disappearance of Brisbane air force policewoman Gaye Baker.
Cold Cases
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A DELICATE silver watch held by an anonymous letter writer – matching one worn by air force policewoman Gaye Baker – could hold the key to solving one of the state’s biggest murder mysteries.
Gaye disappeared from Clayfield in 1972 after being lured to a non-existent pool party during her first shift as a part-time hostess.
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She took the job to earn money to help her sick mother and to realise her dreams of travelling the world.
Instead, a man who had called himself “John Taylor” is believed to have lured her away and killed her.
Her car was found abandoned two days later but Gaye was never seen again.
Detectives from the Homicide Investigation Unit’s cold case team announced late last year that they were reviewing the long-unsolved murder in the hope of providing answers for the 23-year-old’s family.
They now believe a member of the public could have Gaye’s watch – having kept it for nearly 50 years after it was found in the back of a used car at a dealership.
Detective Senior Sergeant Tara Kentwell, who heads the cold case unit, said the letter referred to the watch being found by the writer’s mother many years ago.
She said the author wrote of their mother being given the watch by a friend who worked at a Bundaberg car dealership in the early 1970s.
The friend found the watch in a car that had been traded in, and gave it to the woman as a gift.
Sen Sgt Kentwell said the author’s mother and the friend saw a Sunday Mail article in 2007 about Gaye’s unsolved murder, that included a photograph of Gaye’s watch.
They worried that it was the watch the friend had found, but decided not to get involved in the investigation.
The author said their mother recently died and they had found both the article and watch among her possessions.
“We’re thankful for all the public assistance we’ve received so far,” Sen Sgt Kentwell said.
“But of interest is a letter we’ve received from an anonymous person.
“This person has valuable information that would progress our investigation and we would encourage that person to come forward.
“We’d like to bring some closure to Gaye’s family, who have lived with this for many years.”
Gaye’s sister, Robyn Johnson, recently made a tearful appeal for anyone with information to come forward.
“Forty-seven years ago tragedy struck our family when our much-loved elder sister Gaye went missing and has not been seen since,” she said.
“This of course had devastating effects that still have a ripple effect on our lives today.
“To assist the police, we please, please ask anyone out there if they have any information – regardless of how small they think that information is – if anyone knows anything, could they please call the Queensland Police.
“We loved our sister Gaye very much.”
A reward of $250,000 for information leading to the conviction of Gaye’s killer remains in place. Call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.