Police investigate poison death of well-known Hunter Valley man Doug Thrift
Police have announced they are treating the death of a local sporting legend in the Hunter Valley as suspicious. It comes after the popular grandfather died from ingesting a ‘highly dangerous poison’.
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DOUG Thrift was still celebrating beating prostate cancer and his cardiologist had given him a clean bill of health just days before he returned home to his Hunter Valley farm after another Saturday playing golf.
And the 71-year-old grandfather’s newfound positive outlook towards a long and bright future is one of several reasons why detectives are treating his bizarre poisoning death as suspicious.
Mr Thrift was found lifeless in his bed by his wife of nearly 30 years, Jane Thrift, just hours after he had arrived back to their Denman property in good spirits on December 1, 2018.
An autopsy and toxicology tests would later reveal that the local sporting legend, who still played off single figures in golf and was named in Singleton’s best ever rugby union team, had died an excruciating death from a lethal dose of the highly-toxic pesticide strychnine.
Strike Force Fairview detectives have ruled out accidental poisoning and have gathered expert medical evidence that Mr Thrift would have taken the lethal dose within a few hours of his death.
The medical evidence also says Mr Thrift ingested the substance.
“Very sadly and unfortunately, Mr Thrift would have suffered quite an horrific death,’’ Hunter Valley crime manager Detective Inspector Matthew Zimmer said.
“We need to establish how and why this poison got into his system so we are very interested in hearing from members of the community who may have strychnine missing from their properties, in particular farmers throughout NSW.’’
Strychine was once used as a way of controlling vermin and wild dogs, however the Department of Primary Industries now holds the only license to use it in the state and is not actively using the substance.
Detectives believe generational farmers may have some strychine left on their properties from decades ago. There is no evidence that Mr Thrift ever used strychnine on his property.
“From all accounts Doug was a loving father, grandfather. He was very actively involved in the community. He was into his sports, his rugby, his cricket and his golf. He actually played a round of golf prior to his death,’’ Det Insp Zimmer said.
“We need to get to the bottom of how and why this substance came to be in his system.
“We do believe there are people in the community who may have information who have not approached us yet so we urge those people to come forward, speak to our strike force detectives and help us piece together the final moments of his life.
“The family wants some answers.’’
Mr Thrift, a father of three and stepfather to another three adult children, had played golf at Denman on the day of his death, just as he did on every Saturday.
He returned home about 1pm. He went to bed for a nap before planning to bale hay later that evening.
Jane Thrift rang for help at 7.20pm after finding her husband dead in his bed.
Those six hours are now crucial for detectives on Strike Force Fairview, set up to investigate the suspicious death.
When asked whether it was a murder investigation, Detective Inspector Zimmer said: “We are keeping an open mind at this stage.’’
He said Mr Thrift had appeared in great spirits when he played golf with his mates on the morning of his death.
He had just beaten prostate cancer following an operation and was given a clean bill of health from his cardiologist just days beforehand.
Mr Thrift had told friends he was planning for retirement, possibly moving to the coast.
“We have information to indicate that Mr Thrift was in good spirits on the day he passed away so we are very interested in speaking with people who may have had conversations with him the days and hours before his death,’’
Detective Inspector Zimmer said.
“I want to be very clear that we are in possession of expert medical evidence which clearly indicates that the cause of death was by way of strychnine toxicity.’’
He said there was “no information that Doug had any enemies” and he was a “very well-respected member of the Denman community”.
Mr Thrift was highly regarded in the wider Hunter Valley.
He was named in the Singleton Bulls Rugby Union Club’s best ever team, after first playing with the club in its inaugural season in 1967.
Known as a goalkicking centre, Mr Thrift won five premierships during his 117 first grade games and also played for Easts rugby league club in Sydney.
In a tribute on the club’s website, life member Steve Valentine said: “Doug was a fine all round player. As a goalkicker, he was without peer. His timing was superb and pressure didn’t have an effect on him.’’
Mr Thrift was also a representative cricketer, with Singleton District Cricket Association life member Michael Akrill adding to the tribute: “As witheverything Dougie tried his hand at, he as a natural. Nothing seemed to require effort and he was so easy to watch.’’
Information into Mr Thrift’s death should be forwarded to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000