Frank Newbery murder: 14 years since Cooks Hill grocer’s death mystery remains

It was a brutal death suffered by one of a quaint Newcastle suburb’s most loved citizens that sparked outrage. But 14 years on his murder remains a mystery.

The trail of blood spatter stretches for metres. The injuries to the 87-year-old skull of a war veteran are extreme. And the staging of the crime scene appears last minute.

There is more than enough evidence to suggest the murderous attack on gentleman grocer Frank Newbery was frenzied.

Murder victim Frank Newbery photographed in his store. Picture: Ron Morrison

But was it frenzied because the murder was the end of a robbery gone wrong.

Or was it over-the-top violence to make sure Frank’s gentle soul was taken in a

targeted attack by someone who knew him.

The 14th anniversary of one of Newcastle’s most gruesome and heartbreaking

murders passed last week. As the years roll on, the outrage has subsided somewhat.

A woman lays flowers at the scene of the murder of store owner Frank Newbery, 87, in Union Street, Newcastle.

The slaying of Frank – named by his loyal customers as best grocer in the world during his 58 years in his little Cooks Hill shop – prompted widespread grief, shock and anger as the eclectic suburb looked for answers.

The fact it came just 10 days after another loveable local, 88-year-old Lillie Wood, died following a violent home invasion just a few hundred metres away had also heightened anxiety.

Several people were later found responsible for Lillie’s home invasion.

But despite the hard work of detectives from Strike Force Rynan, which continues to tick along as an open investigation, the person or people responsible for Frank’s murder have never faced justice.

A distraught woman arrives with a bouquet of flowers to the scene of the murder of store owner Frank Newbery, 87, in Union Street, Newcastle.

THE MYSTERY MAN

Even after 14 years, it is what has occurred in a six-minute window that remains the most important feature of the investigation into Frank’s death.

One of two images of a man police are looking for in relation to death of grocer Frank Newbery. Picture: NSW Police.

Regimented in his ways, Frank would rise at the same time every day. He would dress in his business shirt and tie and would work alone for the first and last hours every day.

For years, it just meant Frank would have time on his own to set up and get ready for close without the burden of other workers – and a lot of customers.

In hindsight, it also meant the World War II veteran, who was becoming increasingly frail with his years, was also vulnerable after 4pm every day.

And it is that time when the killer struck.

In fact, the time of the murder is strongly believed to be between 4.12pm and

4.18pm on March 12, 2007 – a Monday afternoon.

One of two images of one man police are looking for in relation to death of grocer Frank Newbery, found on the floor of his shop in Cooks Hill. Picture: NSW Police

That is because of the strong evidence given by a woman who said she saw a man inside Frank’s Ham and Beef store on Union St at 4.12pm who had long blond, curly hair and wore a cap and a grey polo shirt.

At 4.18pm, a man arrived at the shop only to find the front glass doors closed.

He would tell a coroner he saw a man in the store with long dark hair. He was wearing a cap, or possibly a beanie, and dark clothing.

The witness would also report seeing the man crouch down and placing something into a green environmentally friendly shopping bag.

The subtle differences in the witness statements have never bothered Strike Force Rynan investigators – experienced detectives know there are always differences in witness statements.

And the front windows into Frank’s shop were tinted, easily skewing the memories of a suspect having dark hair.

No. Detectives remain certain that these two witnesses – the woman and man just six minutes apart – were watching the killer before and after he attacked Frank.

But they remain frustrated. For despite watching hundreds of hours of CCTV footage from in an around Frank’s business, which was just a few metres from the front of the head office of the Newcastle Permanent, nothing was found.

THE CRIME SCENE

Frank Newbery was small in stature, but his diminutive body hid a huge heart. It was the ticker which got him through his war service. And it was the ticker which looked after his customers, so many disabled and frail that needed extra care that Frank was willing to give.

A woman hands a rose to a police officer at the scene of the murder of store owner Frank Newbery, 87, in Union Street, Newcastle.

It was also the ticker which tried to fight back an attacker who was almost certainly decades younger than him.

When he was found unconscious and gravely ill (he would die soon after) behind the counter about 4.30pm, Frank had suffered four or five blows to the head with a large, blunt object which has never been found.

The killer blow was one to the left side of his head, which would have almost certainly rendered Frank unconscious.

A woman lays flowers at the scene of the murder of store owner Frank Newbery, 87, in Union St Newcastle.

Frank Newbery who was murdered at his corner store almost 14 years ago.

There was blood all over Frank’s face and shirt. And there was also blood and other matter found metres away from his body, suggesting the brutal force used.

His body was found under some boxes of cardboard, which appeared to be haphazardly placed.

Crime scene experts spent more than a day inside the shop. But being a high-traffic shop, it was difficult to glean what could be important.

DNA samples were taken from everywhere, and samples were also taken from customers to rule them out.

Two samples remain unknown and have been at the centre of conjecture for 14 years. However, they were found on two shopping baskets within the shop.

Murdered shopkeeper Frank Newbery. Picture: supplied

Did they belong to innocent and unknown shoppers, or someone more sinister.

Detectives initially believed that Frank was the victim of a robbery gone wrong.

The fact that money had been taken from the cash register suggested that.

But there was $1500 in cash found in Frank’s top pocket. Was it still there because the robbery had gone completely pear-shaped and the bandit never had time to check his victim’s pockets.

Or was the crime scene staged to appear to be a robbery when there was another motive, including that Frank was targeted by someone he knew.

Shopkeeper Frank Newbery with his work colleague of 27 years, Jenny Boswell, at his shop in Cooks Hill. Picture: Ron Morrison.

That theory was first aired publicly some eight years after Frank was murdered. It still remains a line of enquiry as police hope the $100,000 reward for information may, one day, drag out the one witness which could lead to the killer.