Loved ones want justice for Linda Reed who was abducted from Pacific Fair and killed

LINDA Reed had her whole life ahead of her when it was cruelly snatched away by a murderer who has never been brought to justice.

COLD CASE: Linda Reed was murdered in 1983.

LINDA Reed had her whole life ahead of her when it was cruelly snatched away by a murderer who has never been brought to justice.

The 21-year-old was newly married and building her dream home with her husband Robert.

But the young couple’s dreams were shattered when Linda, a retail assistant, went missing from Pacific Fair on her lunch break on December 13 1983.

Three days later her car, filled with Christmas presents, was found abandoned at the entry to bushland at Gaven.

UPDATE AUGUST 22, 2018: MAN ARRESTED OVER LINDA REED MURDER

Her bound and gagged body was found less than 100m away.

She had been sexually assaulted, tied up with a bikini top and left to drown in a creek puddle.

A large-scale appeal for witnesses and information followed, with police setting up exhibits with a mannequin, photographs and Linda’s car in a bid to jog the memory of shoppers.

A display police hoped would bring forward witnesses.

It turned up little, but three years later in 1986 there was the breakthrough everyone had prayed for.

Convicted murderer, Craig Andrew McConnell, was charged with Linda’s death, he went to trial after allegedly confessing to a fellow inmate at Boggo Road Jail.

But McConnell was acquitted due to insufficient evidence after the chief witness died of a heroin overdose shortly before the trial.

Pathologist Dr Tony Ansford gave evidence at McConnell’s failed hearing, that Linda Reed probably drowned in the muddy creek bed.

He said grit, mud and copious quantities of fluid were found well down in her airways, indicating she had drowned.

Her body was partly decomposed and Dr Ansford said he could not tell if she had been strangled.

Linda’s mother, Nancy Fein, still lives on the Gold Coast and prays she will live to see justice.

“My husband has passed away and as you can appreciate I’m getting older as well,” she said.

“It would be so nice to see justice done, it’s gone on for so long now and I’m running out of time.”

In 2010 Linda’s parents told the Bulletin they felt the police investigation was “inadequate’’, with those closest to Linda “not thoroughly questioned about her death’’.

Mrs Fein reported Linda missing after she was told by Linda’s husband she had not come home after work.

Nancy Fein and Oskar Fein (deceased) are the parents of Linda Reed (in picture) who was murdered in 1983.

Worry became panic when a search of the Pacific Fair carpark failed to find Linda’s car.

After Linda’s death, her husband had little contact with the Feins and moved to Western Australia.

In 2010 Mrs Fein said she was met with cynicism when she reported her daughter missing at the

Broadbeach Police Station.

“I knew my daughter well. Linda was very responsible and wouldn’t just disappear. It was totally out of character,’’ she said.

“We had to wait 24 hours before Linda could be listed as missing and even then the police seemed amused. They were of the impression she’d run away.”

COLD CASE: Linda Reed was murdered in 1983.

Bob Pease, a retired homicide detective, has always maintained he believed McConnell killed Linda.

“The evidence against McConnell was so compelling,’’ Mr Pease told the Bulletin.

Mr Pease said McConnell had admitted in Boggo Road Jail to killing Linda, telling Graham Steer, who passed the information on to police.

McConnell’s knowledge of the crime was so intimate he even allegedly admitted to finishing Linda’s lunch, cheese and pickle sandwiches.

Forensic teams found traces of cheese in Linda’s car and her stomach contents.

McConnell’s history also made him a prime candidate.

“He had a shocking criminal history — two murders, rape, armed robbery, car theft. In my opinion he’s a psychopath,’’ Mr Pease said in 2010.

“I think he killed others but we could never pin them on him — just Linda’s murder. The day he was found not guilty was one of the worst in my life. I was devastated.’’

McConnell now lives in New Zealand and has always maintained his innocence, despite double jeopardy laws meaning he can never be tried for the crime again.

The case is still open and a $250,000 reward is available for information leading to the arrest of her killer, or killers.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.