NSW cold cases: Reward plea to find who raped and murdered newlywed Maria Smith
MARIA SMITH was a 20-year-old newlywed when she was raped and murdered in the Randwick unit she and her husband of just eight weeks lived in. More than 45 years later, police still believe they can catch the teacher’s killer.
NSW
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THE last time student teacher Maria Smith was seen alive, she was getting ready for work in the Sydney unit she shared with her new husband.
But when Steve Smith arrived at their Randwick home, he found his 20-year-old wife of eight weeks dead in their bedroom.
She had been raped and strangled with stockings sometime on Monday, April 22, 1974.
More than 45 years later, police still believe they can catch her killer and are appealing for anyone who lived in her St Marks Road unit block to come forward.
NSW Minister for Police Troy Grant and SCC Homicide Squad Commander, Detective Superintendent Scott Cook appeared in front of media today to announce a $1 million reward. They were joined by Mrs Smith’s brother, Peter McGuinn.
It is also the first time a $1 million reward has been offered under the new rewards system, which came into effect in December 2017 and hands responsibility for the amount of reward money over to the investigating police. Before this, rewards were determined by the Rewards Evaluation Advisory Committee.
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$1 million is the most money that can be offered under the new scheme.
“Maria was horribly murdered,” the head of the NSW homicide squad, Det Supt Cook, told reporters today.
“She was bound, gagged and sexually assaulted before being strangled.”
Det Supt Cook said that he hopes that the reward will help people with information to come forward.
“Hopefully this reward will encourage people to take the next step and provide us with additional information,” he said.
“We’re at a stage where we think a reward like this will add its greatest value to our investigation.”
It is only the second time in the state’s history a $1 million reward has been put on the table, matching the same sum that remains on offer in the case of missing toddler William Tyrrell.
The fresh look at one of the state’s oldest cold cases comes after The Daily Telegraph revealed a new police team will review about 500 murder mysteries and unexplained deaths.
Speaking publicly for the first time, Mr McGuinn said his family felt “encouraged” by the new approach.
“Catching the killer is one thing but it will never fill the void,” he said. “It doesn’t solve the problem but hopefully it produces a lead and the police can chase it and the guy who committed the crime can pay the penalty.”
“We’re very encouraged that this particular case has been opened again,” Mr McGuinn said.
“With a lot of good work, a lot of hope, and a little bit of luck, this chap who has committed this crime may end up serving his time.”
Ms Smith had just completed her arts degree at University of NSW and was working at her old school, Brigidine College Randwick, at the time she was murdered.
Mr McGuinn described how his mother died last year at 96 not knowing what had happened to her daughter, and how her murder had left him with a feeling of unease ever since.
“It has an impact upon your own security and your own safety. It’s just a nightmare and you are constantly thinking, is the place locked?” he said.
“You have that lingering feeling worrying about your children’s safety and that never goes away, it affects your whole life.”
Detectives from the unsolved homicide unit now want to reinterview friends, work colleagues and people Ms Smith may have spoken to while working at Malabar RSL Club before she was killed.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.