Who killed Graham Bourke?

GRAHAM Bourke was last seen alive in 1993 after he left a friend’s butchery. A month later he was found dead in the boot of his car.

Graham Bourke (pictured third from right) at the christening of his daughter Lee. Picture: NSW Police

GRAHAM Bourke was last seen alive in October 1993 after he left a friend’s butchery and was heading to a prearranged meeting. A month later he was found dead in the boot of his car.

The then 44-year-old had his throat slashed and had been shot once in the back of the head. Police had been called to the vehicle, a red 1984 Holden Calais, by residents of a street in the northern Sydney suburb of Hornsby who had been complaining of a foul smell coming from it.

Once the boot was open a homicide investigation began that continues to this day.

Police have today announced a $100,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the killer.

Mr Bourke’s daughter Lee, who was only 10 when her father was murdered, has joined

Detective Chief Inspector John Lehmann and NSW Police Minister Troy Grant in a public appeal to help solve her father’s murder.

“The death of a family member is always hard, but knowing that someone took my dad’s life, as if he didn’t matter, is heartbreaking,” Ms Bourke told media in Sydney.

“There is someone out there who has information about his death but, unfortunately, their conscience has not been enough to get them to contact police.

“On behalf of my family, I sincerely hope this reward is the motivation to contact police and provide the critical information needed to bring Dad’s murderer to justice.”

The first anyone knew something was wrong was when Mr Bourke didn’t pick up his daughter for their usual weekend meeting, which made his former partner suspicious.

The last trace of him was the night of October 25 when he told friends, after leaving the Mona Vale butchery he had worked for several years, to see a man he claimed owed him money.

A 1994 inquest could only determine Mr Bourke had been “killed by person or persons unknown”, and no one has been charged.

Appealing for information today, NSW Deputy Premier and Minister for Police Troy Grant said Mr Bourke’s family and friends had been suffering for almost a quarter of a century, and deserved to see Mr Bourke’s killers brought to justice.

“It has been almost 23 years since Mr Bourke was murdered and his family deserve closure,” he said.

“The police have never wavered in their pursuit for answers and are doing everything they can to solve the case.

“We are hopeful this $100,000 reward offer will jolt someone’s memory of what may have happened to Mr Bourke to help detectives piece together the circumstances of his death and put those involved before the courts.”

A strike force has been established by NSW Police’s involved homicide team to investigate Mr Bourke’s death.

Detective Chief Inspector John Lehmann welcomed the Government reward.

“Investigators have followed lines of inquiry throughout Australia, and we are committed to resolving this case and bringing those responsible for a man’s violent death to justice, but we can’t do it without assistance from the community,” he said.

“If you have any information that may help us find those responsible for Mr Bourke’s death, please do the right thing and get in touch with us.”

Strike Force Dalgetty has been formed to investigate Mr Bourke’s death, and anyone with information has been urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Originally published as Who killed Graham Bourke?