Murder cold case: Who killed Gold Coaster Margaret Rosewarne?
IT has been almost 40 years since Margaret Rosewarne made the fatal decision to hitchhike from Surfers Paradise to a party at Burleigh Heads. Her murder remains unsolved ...
Crime and Court
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IT has been almost 40 years since Margaret Rosewarne made the fatal decision to hitchhike from Surfers Paradise to a party at Burleigh Heads.
Her murder remains unsolved despite a $250,000 reward and six women killed in similar circumstances in the 1970s. Jessica Elder relives the teen’s final footsteps.
YOUNG and carefree Margaret Rosewarne didn’t give it a second thought when she decided to hitchhike a ride to a farewell party at Burleigh Heads because her flatmate was too unwell to drive her.
The 19-year-old had done it many times before and it was the 1970s. Everyone did it — money was saved for the bar.
Margaret, who shared a Surfers Paradise unit with two friends, had planned to get a lift with Elaine Warr on the evening of May 5, 1976.
But Elaine was sick and, not one to miss out on a party, Margaret bid her farewell about 9pm and headed for the Gold Coast Highway to hitch a ride.
It was last time she was seen alive. Margaret’s empty handbag was found near Broadbeach Surf Life Saving Club on May 8 and her savagely beaten body 13 days later by a couple inspecting land in bushland off Newcastle St, West Burleigh.
Her body lay about 10m from the end of the street and coins found at the side of the road indicated a struggle.
Police believe Margaret tried to flee her attacker, but was chased, caught and bashed to death.
She was the last of seven women to be brutally killed between Brisbane and Northern NSW in the 1970s.
It was believed the murders were linked, with the offender dubbed the “hitchhiker killer”. No arrests have been made for any of the deaths.
Because Margaret’s body was not found for 16 days, pathologists were unable to determine if she had been raped. However, detectives at the time said there was little doubt she had been sexually assaulted.
Her underwear was missing, a trademark of the “hitchhiker killer” who was believed to have kept them as a grisly “trophy”.
Detectives believed the killer picked Margaret up near the El Dorado Motel on the Gold Coast Hwy shortly after 9pm with pretence of driving her to the party.
In the days after her body was discovered police were amazed by the number of girls who came forward to report incidents while hitchhiking around the Gold Coast.
In 2011, Margaret’s sister, Brenda Atkinson, spoke out about her sister’s murder, appealing for anyone with information to come forward.
She told the Bulletin she was still holding out for answers and had never given up hope the case would be cracked.
“To begin with the police didn’t take Marg’s disappearance seriously,” she said. “They seemed to think she’d just gone off somewhere for a few days, but it wasn’t like Margaret to go away and not tell anyone.
“My parents always had a huge amount of faith that the police would find out who murdered Marg, but they died not knowing.’’
Ms Atkinson remembered Margaret as a “free spirit’’ with a lust for life.
“Marg had moved out of my parents’ home at Chevron Island and was living with friends in a unit on Old Burleigh Road,’’ she said.
“She worked at a fish and chip shop. She didn’t take things too seriously and had no driving ambition. She was happy to work and live her life.
“I never hitchhiked, but I knew Marg did — back then it wasn’t unusual to hitch a ride. Marg was a trusting person and, in the end, that’s what led to her murder.’’
A $250,000 reward remains in place for information leading to the arrest of Margaret’s killer or killers.
The Queensland Government approved a reward of $50,000 in the 1970s, but it was increased to $250,000 more than a decade ago.
Similar rewards remain in place for six other women killed in similar circumstances between 1972 and 1976.
It was at one stage thought notorious backpacker killer Ivan Milat could have been involved in the seven hitchhiker murders.
Milat worked as an interstate truck driver in the 1970s, but his movements were hard to pinpoint and he was not forthcoming regarding the killings.
Regional crime co-ordinator Detective Superintendent David Hutchinson said despite the passage of time all unsolved homicides remained open and were systematically reviewed.
He encouraged anyone with information relating to the death of Margaret Rosewarne, or any other unsolved crime, to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
THE SEVEN UNSOLVED HITCHHIKER MURDERS
July 1972: Robin Hoinville-Bartram and Anita Cunningham disappeared near Coolangatta.
November 15, 1972: Hoinville-Bartram’s remains are found at Sensible Creek, Charters Towers, Townsville. Cunningham’s remains were never found
October 5, 1973: Michelle Ann Riley, 16, and Gabrielle Ingrid Jahnke, 19, disappear while hitchhiking from Brisbane. Ingrid’s body is found a week later on the side of the M1 at Ormeau. Michelle’s body is found off Camp Cable Rd, Loganholme, on October 24.
October 6, 1974: Nurses Lorraine Wilson and Wendy Evans disappear while hitchhiking from Brisbane.
June 1976: Skeletal remains are found at Murphys Creek on the Darling Downs.
May 5, 1976: Margaret Rosewarne disappears after hitching a ride from Surfers Paradise to Burleigh Heads.
May 21 1976: Margaret’s remains are found in bushland at West Burleigh.
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