$1m reward to solve Cheryl Grimmer cold case

Fifty years to the day after three-year-old Cheryl Grimmer vanished at Wollongong, a $1 million reward has been offered for information about her abduction and suspected murder. Her grieving family say resolving the case would “give us a little bit of our life back”.

On January 12, 1970 “cheeky” three-year-old Cheryl Grimmer was snatched from an Illawarra beach.

Now, on the 50th anniversary of her abduction and suspected murder, police have issued a $1 million reward for any information about her disappearance.

Brothers Paul and Stephen Grimmer and Ricki Nash at the start of a Balgownie to Fairy Meadow walk today to commemorate the 50th anniversary of their sister’s disappearance.

The Grimmer family with supporters at the start of the Balgownie to Fairy Meadow walk.

Little Cheryl was kidnapped outside the change sheds at Fairy Meadow Beach, where she was spending the day with her mother and three brothers, Stephen, Ricki and Paul.

Despite extensive searches at the time and over the past five decades, she has never been found, leaving her family, particularly her brother Ricki, with unimaginable pain and guilt.

A memorial walk and plaque was unveiled to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the disappearance of Cheryl Grimmer. Picture: Simon Bullard

A memorial plaque is unveiled to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the disappearance of Cheryl Grimmer. Picture: Simon Bullard

Frank Sanvitale, the detective who charged the suspect in the Grimmer case in 2017.

An emotional Ricki Nash talks to the media at the press conference to announced the $1 million reward.

Paul Grimmer consoles bother Ricki Nash at Fairy Meadow beach before the unveiling. Picture: Simon Bullard

“Unfortunately for me I see her standing just inside that door to that toilet block and I should have dragged her out that day,” he said.

“But I didn’t. I should have. I should have just dragged her out. I still see her standing there … Her cheeky grin, telling me ‘nah I’m not coming’ … she was only three metres from me, I should have.”

Cheryl Grimmer (centre) with her brothers Paul (left) and Stephen. Published with permission of Cheryl Grimmer’s brother.

The military join police in the search for Cheryl.

A coronial inquest conducted in 2011 found Cheryl had died but her cause and manner of death remained undetermined.

A man had been due to face trial last year over her murder but a key piece of evidence was ruled inadmissable by the Supreme Court.

Just 12 weeks before the trial was due to start, the court ruled the man’s confession was inadmissable.

Now aged 65, his trial stalled when the Supreme Court threw out the police interview with him in 1971 during which he confessed to her abduction, rape and murder.

Just 12 weeks before the trial was due to start, the court ruled his confession was inadmissable because, as a juvenile, he should have had an adult with him — even though that was not a legal requirement in 1971, nor required by police guidelines.

The man, who was aged 15 at the time Cheryl vanished and cannot be named, was charged in 2017 with her murder.

Cheryl’s brothers Stephen, Paul and Ricki Grimmer. Picture: John Appleyard

Now, in the wake of the 50-year anniversary, the NSW government has increased the reward for information which led to the arrest and conviction of those responsible to $1 million.

After years of disappointment Homicide Squad Commander Detective Superintendent Daniel Doherty said he hoped this reward could finally bring some answers to the Grimmer family.

“We are at a point now where we need fresh information to progress the investigation and progress our line of inquiry.

“This is important … there’s people out there with information, there’s people out there with a secret that may come forward that we can act upon.”

With a million reasons for someone to now come forward, Superintendent Doherty said he was “really hopeful” fresh information would surface, but said after 50 years, the investigation was tough.

“It’s difficult and challenging, that’s probably an understatement, however we are very focused on getting some resolution,” he said.

John Grimmer with daughter Cheryl.

Cheryl’s disappearance was front page news.

Police diver at the scene.

Police begin search for the missing girl.

Dressed in the royal blue colour of Cheryl’s swimsuit the day she vanished, Ricki and Paul pleaded for anyone with information about the little sister they love so much to find the courage to come forward.

“We believe somebody has the answers that can get this person, this evilness, to come out of the shadows,” Ricki said.

“No words can explain what we’ve been through, no family should have to go through this, we believe the answers are there.”

Ricki said while you can’t put a price on human life, he hoped the million dollars could help in piecing his broken family back together.

“Someone is responsible for taking Cheryl. Taking her from us, from mum and dad. Give us a little bit of our life back,” he said.

“When you took Cheryl, you may as well have taken all of us, because that’s what you did.”

“You’ve destroyed families, and not just Paul and I but our greater family, our daughters, our kids, people as far as the UK are affected by this, cousins, nephews, aunts.”

After the announcement, Ricki, Paul and their families traced Cheryl’s final steps from Balgownie to Fairy Meadow Beach, where a plaque has been erected in memory of the little girl taken before she had the chance to grow up.