The unsolved killings that rocked Melbourne’s northwest
From a mum gunned down in her Niddrie driveway to a mechanic blown up in a suspected Mafia car bomb, these are the crimes that rocked Melbourne’s northwest. And in all cases the killer remains on the loose.
Cold Cases
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From murdered mums to suspected Mafia car-bomb killings, these western and northern suburbs murders rocked Melbourne.
Yet years later, the killer or killers in each cold case remains on the loose.
But it could take only a phone call from someone who knows something, or saw something that could help solve the case.
JANE THURGOOD-DOVE
Mother-of-three Jane Thurgood-Dove was shot dead in her Niddrie driveway in front of her three children on November 6, 1997.
It was believed to be a case of mistaken identity.
Police offered immunity to the Geelong bikie who drove now-dead suspected hitman Steve Mordy to the scene, in return for information on who ordered the hit.
The real target was likely the wife of a neighbour, who looked similar and also drove a four-wheel drive.
Police want to know who bought an Apollo-brand car battery, found in the burnt-out stolen getaway car, from a wrecking yard a few days earlier.
DENISE MCGREGOR
The killer of 12-year-old Denise McGregor used such extreme violence the schoolgirl’s head was smashed beyond recognition and her injuries likened by the coroner to those of a plane crash victim.
Denise was abducted in Pascoe Vale on March 20, 1978, as she was on her way home from a nearby milk bar.
The killer raped her, attempted to strangle her with shoelaces, bashed her to death, and dumped Denise’s half-naked body at Wallan East on the northeast fringe of Melbourne.
In recent years police have been investigating new information about the case.
KARMEIN CHAN
Karmein was babysitting her little sisters when the child abductor dubbed ‘Mr Cruel’ took her from her Templestowe home on April 13, 1991.
Her body was found in a shallow grave at an SEC terminal station site at Thomastown on April 9, 1992.
Taskforce Apollo, which reinvestigated the Mr Cruel attacks, ruled out a new suspect nominated in 2010, but others remain on their list.
Police are certain Mr Cruel killed Karmein.
His other victims were assaulted but let go, and were able to give descriptions of his house and unusual phrases he used.
The girls also heard planes overhead while being held captive.
A theory is Mr Cruel may have stopped offending after he killed Karmein because he was scared of advances in DNA testing at the time.
MACCHOUR CHAOUK
A new gangland war looked ready to ignite after family patriarch Macchour Chaouk was shot dead in the backyard of his Brooklyn home at 10.45am, August 13, 2010.
His killer parked in a side street, walked to the fence and opened fire before fleeing along Geelong Rd.
His wife and grandchildren were there.
Head of a rival family, Ahmed Haddara, was cleared of involvement and died in May 2012.
Chaouk was a drug trafficker with criminal connections.
There had been calls for revenge by some linked to Ahmed Haddara’s family after his son Mohammed was shot dead in 2009.
MELINDA FREEMAN
Young mum Melinda Freeman, 27, was bashed to death in her Whittlesea home on October 4, 1991.
Her husband Craig had taken the couple’s baby son Brent out with him to a card game in Kinglake and discovered his wife’s body about 11pm.
There were some items taken from the house — a video recorder and some appliances — but police have always believed the scene was made to look like a burglary.
A 1997 coroner’s inquest delivered an open finding on Mrs Freeman’s murder.
It was revealed in the court that Mr Freeman had been having an affair with one of his wife’s close friends around the time of her death.
Coroner Jacinta Heffey said she was compelled to disregard the family’s theory that Mr Freeman murdered his wife because the allegations were “based on nothing more than impressions, conjecture and speculation”.
SHARI DAVISON
Young mum Shari Davison was last seen using a pay phone at a service station near her Ballarat Rd, Footscray, house around 3pm on February 18, 1995.
She left behind a toddler son Luke and has not touched her bank accounts.
Underworld figure George Teazis, was named at the 2001 inquest as a person of interest in her disappearance and suspected death.
Teazis was murdered in 2005 by the “Serial-killer stripper” Robyn Lindholm – who was a friend of Ms Davison.
Ms Davison shared a house with one of Teazis associates.
She worked as an exotic dancer for the same agency as Lindholm.
JOHN FURLAN
Believed to be the second victim in Melbourne’s gangland war, mechanic and businessman Mr Furlan died instantly when his white Subaru Liberty exploded at 9am on August 3, 1998.
The explosion shattered house windows, cut power lines and hurled shrapnel 250m in a suspected mob hit reminiscent of a Scorsese film.
A suspect in the case, mafia figure Domenico Italiano, died in 2005.
Police believe Mr Furlan found out Italiano was rigging charity raffles.
Italiano rented a Coburg car yard from him.
A mystery caller told police Mr Furlan was followed by a 4WD and another car in the days before his death.
MARIA JAMES
Ms James, a mother of two boys, was stabbed 68 times in her Thornbury bookshop on June 17, 1980.
The knife came from her kitchen.
She was on the phone at the time to her ex-husband, who rushed over and found her body.
DNA has cleared all suspects but one – paedophile Father Anthony Bongiorno, who was named in 2007.
He died in 2002 and his sister has refused to give a sample.
Police are investigating claims Ms James may have confronted Father Bongiorno about his paedophilia.
She is believed to have been drinking tea with her attacker before the killing.
ANITA LESSER
Anita Lesser’s body was found in the boot of her boyfriend’s car on February 12 1999 – a week after she went missing.
A German teacher and businesswoman by day, she was known as escort “Madame Ursula” by night.
A 2003 inquest was told her boyfriend, Dr Peter Laverick, was the main suspect and the only person formally interviewed by police about Ms Lesser’s murder.
Ms Lesser was last seen leaving a client’s home.
After she went missing, Dr Laverick checked into alcohol rehab, then discharged himself and flew to Ireland after her body was found.
MORE LEADER STORIES:
CRIMES THAT SHOOK MELBOURNE'S WEST
THE SCHOOL SCANDALS WHICH ROCKED MELBOURNE'S NORTHWEST
THE NASTIEST MELBOURNE DRUG DEALERS TO GO DOWN IN 2019
Originally published as The unsolved killings that rocked Melbourne’s northwest