Gatecrasher accuses Nathan Garriock’s friend in cold case mystery

AT the inquest into Nathan Garriock’s death, a young man yells out to his mother Joan that it was one of Nathan’s friends who killed her son. This, and an open finding from the coroner, compound the rumours and speculation that someone is hiding a dark secret. LISTEN TO PART THREE OF THE PODCAST.

• Chapter One - The Party
• Chapter Two - The Hunt For The Driver
• Chapter Three - The Inquest
• $100,000 reward for answers

IT is a murder mystery that has baffled Sydney’s southwest. Nathan Garriock was violently killed at his best mate’s 18th party attended by 100 teens. There were no witnesses. Now 15 years on, his parents are desperate for answers.

IT took six weeks, but they found him.

The driver of a white Holden Commodore that ploughed into a group of teenage partygoers on June 15, 2003 is captured by police almost 700 kilometres from Sydney.

EPISODE THREE: THE INQUEST

The driver of the car that ploughed into a crowd of partygoers is captured.

The 22-year-old man is taken to Grafton police station where an officer tells the man he is investigating the death of Nathan Garriock.

He tells police he didn’t hit anyone over the head with a piece of timber and doesn’t make any other statement to police about that night.

The driver, Shannon James Macaulay, is subsequently charged and convicted on 18 charges relating to that night and spends the next eight years in prison.

When the news of Macaulay’s arrest comes through to the Garriock family, there is a quiet sense of relief.

Nathan Garriock’s death is still a mystery after 15 years.

Nathan’s older sister Heather Garriock says she 100 per cent believed Macaulay was responsible for her brother’s death, as he was driving the car.

But the police don’t have solid evidence against anyone and witness statements from drunk teenagers contradict each other.

Heather Garriock, sister of Nathan, thought the car had killed her brother

Four years after their son Nathan was killed at his best mate’s birthday party, Bill and Joan Garriock prepare to attend the inquest into Nathan’s death.

The Garriocks were unsure of what the coroner’s court could do or achieve.

They also had no idea they could bring legal representation.

The inquest revealed what was found at the crime scene — of note was a plank of timber, found on the floor in front of the passenger seat.

It had indentations consistent with coming into contact with broken glass, such as smashed car window.

The Garriocks relief turned to despair.

Only one of the teenagers says he saw someone hitting the car with wood — but again his statement does not provide any descriptions of who.

There was one person, though, who admitted to hitting the car with wood.

Although he didn’t mention it in his first statement, this person said in his second statement he smashed the back car window.

He’s also the same person who confessed to Joan he may have hit Nathan.

One of Nathan’s friends confesses to hitting Nathan over the head before he died

But it was one of the gatecrashers that completely threw Joan off balance during the inquest.

As she walked out of the coroner’s court during one of the recess breaks, a group of the gatecrashers were resting against the wall when one of them calls out to her.

“As we came out of court, one of the boys yelled out, ‘it was one of yours, it was one of yours that killed him’.”

Speculation and rumour was already rife, but now it was at fever pitch about who was responsible for Nathan’s death.

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EPISODE ONE — THE PARTY — OUT NOW

EPISODE TWO — THE HUNT FOR THE DRIVER — OUT NOW

EPISODE THREE — THE INQUEST — OUT NOW

EPISODE FOUR — FINDING ANSWERS — COMING SOON

If you know anything about the death of Nathan Garriock, you can make an anonymous phone call to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

or email [e-mail]

@Nic_Hogan­