More than $1.6m on offer to solve horrific Far North crimes
An eye-watering amount of money is up for grabs for members of the public who can help solve some of the region’s most twisted crimes. Do you have the missing piece of the puzzle to help crack the case and bag the cash?
Cairns
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HUGE rewards are up for grabs for information about some of the most heinous cold case crimes committed in the Far North.
They range from the brutal and perverted to randomly destructive and date back to the 1980s.
Acting Detective Inspector Kevin Goan said many of these crimes were horrific and seriously impacted family, friends and, at times, whole communities surrounding a murder or unexplained death.
He said possible new leads combined with advances in forensic technology meant information from the public was always welcome.
“Cold cases remain cold cases until we have an answer and when people in our community come forward, it may be the single piece of the puzzle we need to complete our investigation,” he said.
“The history of Queensland Police shows we never give up and whenever we receive new information we are able to review investigations and look to new technologies and forensic capabilities that may not have existed at the time.
“And a lot of things change over time, they may have been at an age where they were vulnerable or they had threats made against them but can now speak to law enforcement as to what they know.
“That may be as a witness to some atrocity and they want to clear their conscience before the pass.”
However, the senior Detective said this did not often happen.
Det Insp Goan said public information was key and significant reward was paid following information that led to cracking the Jason Tyler murder case in 1995.
Three members of outlaw biker gang, the Bandidos, were jailed over the gangland-style slaying.
“I remember rewards money was released for information on the Jason Tyler murder,” he said.
And last year new information led to the reopening of the disappearance and suspected murder of Mossman mum of four Joanne Butterfield.
She was last seen leaving her Mowbray home with plans to hitchhike south in June 1998.
Here’s the full list of cash up for grabs to help solve the seriously twisted crimes that have shocked the Far North.
MURDER of UNIDENTIFIED BABY
$250,000 REWARD
On May 4 1996 the upper torso of a newborn male baby was discovered on the driveway of a residence in Hayward St, Mooroobool.
The body had been dragged a short distance to this location by two dogs. The baby was no more than 48-hours-old and a post mortem revealed the probable cause of death as drowning.
Investigating police strongly suspect that the mother of the infant resides, or resided, in the immediate area of Mooroobool but inquiries to date have failed to identify her.
In 2018 Maria Lena Raymond was acquitted of manslaughter and neglecting to properly dispose of human remains after a jury found her not guilty following a five-day trial in the Cairns Supreme Court.
ABDUCTION AND SEXUAL ASSAULT
$250,000 REWARD
On August 17, 2002 a sleeping 23-month-old female infant was abducted from her home at Stanley St Yarrabah at 3am.
The child was taken by foot about 300 metres along a dirt track at the rear of Stanley Street. Witnesses observed an unidentified man with the child in his hands.
When challenged by the witnesses, the man placed the child on the ground and ran from the scene. Witnesses located the child suffering from serious injuries and she was transported to Cairns Base Hospital for treatment.
SMITHFIELD STATE SCHOOL ARSON
$50,000 REWARD
In the early hours of the morning of October 28 in 1998 unknown offenders
entered the grounds of the Smithfield State High School and set fire to the computer wing of the school.
The extent of damage to the building structure was substantial. The majority of the school’s computer equipment, which was housed within this building, was totally destroyed along with the school’s radio station equipment.
The final figure for the damage sustained from the arson was more than $1.2m.
MURDER of WILLIAM and GRAYVYDA CLARKE
$250,000 REWARD
The remains of the two known pot growers William Paul Clarke and Grayvyda
Maria Clarke were found on May 24 1981 in their burned out residence in Pinnacle Rd, Julatten.
Neighbour Russell McDiarmid, who had socialised with the couple the previous night, made the grisly discovery.
“They were unrecognisable. All that remained was part of their rib cage and pelvic bone. Their limbs and heads had been burnt away,” he said.
A post mortem examination revealed that both victims had been shot with a shotgun.
MURDER of MARKO JEKIC
$250,000 REWARD
On April 1, 1989 44-year-old opal dealer Marko Jekic departed Cairns, Queensland, in his Toyota Landcruiser vehicle with $125,000 in cash.
He was last spoken to at about 6pm on this same date.
Evidence at hand suggests Mr Jekic was then murdered by people unknown shortly thereafter. Police reopened the cold case in 2019 codenamed Operation Papa Glimmer, and announced a $250,000 reward linked to the disappearance of Mr Jekic, also known as Mike Jekic.
DEATH of ANGELA MEALING
$250,000 REWARD
The last known sighting of Angela Maree Mealing was on April 1 2000 in Cairns. On May 15 2000, Ms Mealing’s remains were located in a decomposed state at Behana Creek, but a coronial inquiry failed to determine the cause of her death.
The case became one of the state’s most baffling mysteries and part of a book Under a Dark Moon, written by author Robert Reid.
The precise events after Ms Mealing was last seen on April 1, 2000 are unknown and no conclusive evidence exists explaining her death.
ATTEMPTED MURDER OF CLEIS NORBURY
$250,000 REWARD
At about 3am on October 6 1996, Cleis Norbury, then aged 18, was found lying in an unconscious condition in a laneway off Mulgrave Rd after a night out on the town.
She had been the victim of a vicious and sustained attack, receiving severe head injuries consistent with having been repeatedly punched and kicked.
Ms Norbury sustained permanent brain damage as a consequence of the attack and requires constant care.
Last month a retiring Detective Senior Sergeant Ed Kinbacher said the man thought to be responsible for the crime had committed suicide but still urged members of the public to come forward with information.
“Well, what we can now say is that effectively we have closed the case. We believe we know who’s responsible,” he said.
MURDER of DONNA STEELE
$250,000 REWARD
Donna Louise Steele was last seen alive at Cooktown on August 2, 2017. Her body was subsequently located at Leggett’s Crossing, a branch of the Endeavour River, Cooktown at 5.30am on August 6, 2017.
Matthew Ross White, of Mooroobool, has been charged with her murder and jailed for life.
When sentencing White, in the Cairns Supreme Court Justice Jim Henry said the killer had “forever altered the life of two innocent children, now deprived of the comfort, guidance and love of their mother”
MURDER OF HOWARD HOBSON
$250,000 REWARD
On 20 January 2004, Howard Hobson was located unconscious and bleeding on a footpath in
Wharf St, Cairns.
Mr Hobson was suffering from a severe wound to the head and died later that morning in the
Cairns Base Hospital.
Investigations have revealed that Mr Hobson was the victim of a callous and brutal assault; however, the investigation is now frustrated.
The allocation of all rewards will be at the sole discretion of the Commissioner of the Police Service and an appropriate indemnity from prosecution will be recommended for any accomplice – not being the person who actually committed the crime – who first gives such information.
Any member of the public with information which could assist police with any of the above offences is asked to contact any police station or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
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