Roger Rogerson: Secret of Lyn Woodward’s murder finally exposed
THE family of Lyn Woodward have broken their 35-year silence to reveal why they suspect serial killer cop Roger Rogerson was involved in the murder of the “intelligent” model who was giving evidence against him.
NSW
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THE family of Lyn Woodward have broken their 35 year silence to reveal why they suspect serial killer cop Roger Rogerson was involved in the murder of the “attractive and intelligent” model while she was in the middle of giving crucial evidence against him.
The Daily Telegraph has obtained unpublished transcripts of recordings the 24-year-old made with lawyers in preparation for the 1981 inquest into the death of her drug dealer friend Warren Lanfranchi at the gun of Rogerson.
The legal transcripts reveal accusations aimed at Rogerson, including allegations:
■ He was a major heroin dealer;
■ Some members of the Armed Holdup Squad actually helped plan and shared in the profits of many bank robberies; and
■ Rogerson gave Ms Woodward drugs so she would initially give evidence supporting his version of the Lanfranchi murder.
On the only occasion Rogerson was charged with a drugs offence he was acquitted on appeal. Rogerson was never charged with any offence relating to bank robbery.
In her early 20s, the striking blonde’s career was just taking off when she started dating drug addict Stephen Pauley. She met Lanfranchi through Pauley and then became close to Lanfranchi’s girlfriend, Sallie-Anne Huckstepp.
Lanfranchi was shot dead by Rogerson in June 1981. It was the corrupt cop’s third public kill and he justified it by saying it was self defence.
Later that year Ms Woodward gave evidence into the shooting of Lanfranchi. She vanished that afternoon, never to be seen again. She was told she may be required to continue her evidence the next day.
According to the legal transcripts, Ms Woodward had been planning to say Rogerson had been selling drugs with the help of Lanfranchi and Pauley.
She also alleged Rogerson gave her heroin after the death so she would fake testimony to support him.
“Everything that I’ve said in any sort of statement they’ve taken off me ... I want it completely dismissed as evidence because it is a whole lot of hogwash, lies and garbage,” she said.
“I know it has my signature on the bottom of every page, but that signature is there because I was weak enough.”
Ms Huckstepp, who went on live TV to accuse Rogerson of corruption, was found floating in a pond at Centennial Park in 1986 after being strangled.
Ms Woodward’s brother Scott this week broke his family’s silence to talk about the sister who dared to stand up to Rogerson and other corrupt NSW police officers, but paid for it with her life.
“She was not afraid,” Mr Woodward (left), a successful Sydney businessman, said.
“Lyn had it all. She was attractive, articulate, intelligent but very determined.
“Lyn went to give evidence because she wanted to see justice done. She had nothing to gain by talking.’’
Mr Woodward revealed how his father Doug, a celebrated former TV and radio sports commentator, told her to “stay away” from the inquiry. His last words to her were: “Don’t go. You don’t want to get involved with that mob”.
And Mr Woodward described his disgust when Rogerson and his informer Neddy Smith, a vicious killer, “laughed and joked” during an inquest into his sister’s death 20 years after her disappearance.
“It was like a stroll in the park for Smith and Rogerson,” he said.
“They had no idea of the beautiful human being that the inquiry was about.
“Only that she was a threat to their freedom and had to go.’’
Mr Woodward, who kept quiet about his sister’s death while his parents were alive to protect them, said the consensus from police during the inquest was Ms Woodward was “lured into a car and taken to a park in Alexandria” where she was killed. “Lyn tried to get out of the car and was shot in the back of the head,” he said.
During the inquest, Smith said he saw Rogerson murder Ms Woodward.
However, because of conflicting accounts and his lack of credibility as a witness Rogerson was never charged over her death.
“I had prepared my mind well and thought I’d handled things well but it was not until I was at home that everything hit me,” Mr Woodward said.
“The graphics of a gunshot entering my sister’s head kept haunting me. Eventually I succumbed and vomited.’’
Mr Woodward told his father the only thing the inquiry determined was that his sister was presumed dead.
“My mother had been ill for some time and I had taken conscious steps to protect her,” he said. “By not formally advising ‘Missing Persons’ her name was kept out of the media and I made certain that there was no picture.
“I did not want my mother to constantly see pictures and unbalanced stories about Lyn like the media had done with Sallie-Anne. I see Sallie-Anne as a hero for coming forward, and like my sister, I hope they are remembered as such.’’
Mr Woodward said Rogerson described many people as murderers, attempted murderers, bank robbers, drug addicts and prostitutes so the media would swallow his lies.
For example, Rogerson often falsely referred to Ms Woodward as a prostitute.
The corrupt cop is currently awaiting sentencing after being found guilty of the 2014 murder of a young teenage drug dealer.
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