$1.7m reward offered to help solve cold cases of Annette Steward, Earl Mooring, Wido Budzynski and the Crawford family
More than $1.5 million is on offer for information helping to solve some of the Geelong region’s most mysterious and brutal cold cases.
Cold Cases
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More than $1.5 million is on offer for information helping to solve some of the Geelong region’s most mysterious and brutal cold cases.
Police are offering four rewards ranging from $1 million to $100,000 for the murders of seven people spanning from 1970 to the early 2000s.
The rewards are available for those who provide police with vital clues resulting in the capture and conviction of those responsible.
The largest reward of $1 million was first announced in 2015 for information on the death of 29-year-old Geelong West woman Annette Steward.
The naked body of Ms Steward was found in her bedroom on March 18, 1992. A post-mortem found she had been strangled.
A $500,000 reward is on the table for information relating to the murder of 54-year-old Whittington man Earl Mooring in the early 2000s.
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Mr Mooring was reported missing after failing to show up at work on October 11, 2000, but it took authorities four years to locate his body, found dumped in the New South Wales town of Towrang in late 2004, following a tip-off.
A post-mortem confirmed he was murdered, and police have never located his car — a 1996 red Nissan Micra Coupe with registration NTD-626 — which was believed to have been used to transport his body. A pair of $100,000 rewards are also on offer for the murders of Winchelsea man Wido Budzynski in 1998, and the 1997 Port Campbell murders of pregnant 35-year-old Therese Crawford and her three children, 13-year-old Kathryn, 8-year-old James and 6-year-old Karen.
Victoria Police said the reward system was vital in helping to solving historical crimes, by offering an incentive to those burdened with often grim knowledge of wrongdoings.
“Rewards send a clear message that we are determined to bring those responsible to justice and it is our hope that as circumstances in the lives of people who have information about these crimes changes, that they do come forward and provide information to police,” Victoria Police spokeswoman Natalie Webster said.
“The majority of rewards are for conviction, however a small number are on offer for information leading to the capture of a wanted person.
“People with information can contact police directly, or they can provide information initially via Crime Stoppers. Any piece of information could prove valuable — until someone speaks to investigators, they may not know if this is the piece of the puzzle police have been seeking.”
News Corp this month revealed $71.28 million had been offered in rewards since January 2008, with Victoria Police currently advertising 34 separate cold case rewards.
For information visit police.vic.gov.au/reward
$1 MILLION
ANNETTE STEWARD
A friend discovered the naked body of Annette Steward in the bedroom of her Hope St, Geelong West home about 1pm on Wednesday March 18, 1992.
The 29-year-old mother-of-two left work at the Winchester Factory in Point Henry about 4.30pm the day before, went shopping in Geelong and shared tea with four male friends at her home later that evening — with the men leaving afterwards.
On March 18 a passing friend saw Ms Steward’s car in her driveway and let himself in to her home to visit, discovering her body.
Reporting on the case have suggested the champion marching girl was found dead, naked bashed and with an electrical cord around her throat.
A post-mortem revealed she had died as a result of strangulation.
In 2015 Police announced the $1 million reward for information leading to the solving of Ms Stewards murder.
$500,000
EARL MOORING
54-year-old Spirit of Tasmania security guard Earl Mooring disappeared from his Whittington home on Tuesday October 10, 2000.
Four years later, his body was discovered in Towrang in New South Wales following a tip-off from a Bandido bikie.
Mr Mooring had reportedly been keeping a $120,000 retirement nest egg in his home, with his death a suspected burglary attempt.
It is understood Mr Mooring was bashed with a hammer, tied up in a tarpaulin then driven from the scene in his own car, a 1996 red Nissan Micra Coupe with registration NTD-626 — which police have never located.
Reports following the murder suggest Mr Mooring’s ATM card was used seven times on the east coast of Australia in the days following his disappearance.
$100,000
THERESE, KATHRYN, JAMES AND KAREN CRAWFORD
A 1971 coronial inquest found that Elmer Kyle Crawford was responsible for the 1970 murder of his pregnant wife and three children aged six to 13.
The bodies of the 35-year-old mother and her children were discovered in the family car on July 2, 1970 — with the car having been pushed over a cliff face at Loch Ard Gorge in Port Campbell.
A search of the family’s Glenroy home suggested the family had been murdered there, with each appearing to have died as a result of electrocution and or blunt force trauma to the head.
Mr Crawford was seen at the family home on the day the bodies were discovered, but despite extensive searches police have never been able to locate him.
$100,000
WIDO BUDZYNSKI
In April 2013 Police offered up a reward of up to $100,000 for help solving the mysterious 1998 murder of Wido Budzynski.
The Winchelsea man was found dead at his home in Buckley School Road, by a neighbour on December 9.
He was found to have suffered extensive head injuries, which authorities believed had been caused by a blunt instrument.
Originally published as $1.7m reward offered to help solve cold cases of Annette Steward, Earl Mooring, Wido Budzynski and the Crawford family