Rachelle Childs’ family ignored after they wrote to the NSW police minister for help
Rachelle Childs was brutally murdered nearly 24 years ago – but her case is still unsolved. Her sister Kristy wants answers after being ignored.
Dear Rachelle
Don't miss out on the headlines from Dear Rachelle. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The sister of cold case murder victim Rachelle Childs penned a heartfelt letter to the police minister to request the “solvable” homicide investigation be reopened with a $500,000 reward, but the minister never replied.
Kristy Childs told a new True Crime Australia podcast, called Dear Rachelle, that she wrote to NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley in March 2024 – more than two decades after her 23-year-old sister was killed, set alight and dumped in beachside scrub in June 2001.
Rachelle was last seen leaving work in Camden, south-west of Sydney, in her 1978 Holden Commodore VB, apparently running late for a catch-up at Bargo Hotel. Nine hours later, her body was found 110km away in Gerroa. Her car was mysteriously parked at the pub in Bargo.
Watch the video of the Dear Rachelle investigation above.
The case was investigated at the time with a $100,000 reward offered for any information about her killer, but a series of avoidable blunders by NSW Police meant Rachelle’s case was never solved. The reward amount was doubled in 2011, but no one came forward.
LISTEN TO EPISODES 1 AND 2 OF THE PODCAST BELOW:
Kristy later found out that no serving police officer was familiar with her sister’s cold case.
In her letter to Ms Catley, she wrote: “Losing Rachelle in such a horrific manner is indescribable, and this is compounded by the knowledge that her killer remains at large.
“She was so badly burnt that we were advised not to view her body.
“Rachelle was beautiful, brave, hilarious, intelligent and incredibly kind. She is loved and missed by everyone who knew her … She was terrible with money, but she was rich in personality. Chelle was so quick witted and kept everyone entertained. She was in the prime of her life.”
Instead of contacting Kristy directly, Ms Catley’s office passed the letter on to the unsolved homicide squad to reply.
In an effort to reveal fresh details and assist the family, True Crime Australia brought retired Detective Sergeant Damian Loone on board. He spent 18 years investigating the 1982 murder of Lynette Simms (Dawson) and helped bring her killer – her husband, Chris Dawson – to justice in the 2018 podcast, The Teacher’s Pet. He was sentenced to 24 years in prison.
Mr Loone has now described Ms Catley’s failure to respond to the Childs family as “disgusting” and lacking compassion.
“Minister Catley has been elected by the people of New South Wales and is highly paid to respond to victims of crime like Kristy,” he said.
“The minister has a team of staff, dedicated to drafting letters and booking meetings with people like Kristy. So it’s inexcusable that the minister couldn’t find a few minutes in her day to reply to her directly.
“Where’s the compassion?”
After sending the letter, Kristy was told Rachelle’s case would not be reviewed by an ex-homicide detective, as promised by police in 2021. In July 2024, she was told the case had been nominated to be assessed for review.
When she met with an officer from the unsolved homicide squad, Kristy found out that no one in the team was familiar with her sister’s murder.
“So you’re not across this case?” she asked the officer.
“No, I’m not,” he replied.
“Who is?”
“No one.”
“So no one in unsolved homicide is across this case at all?”
“No.”
Mr Loone and former NSW Detective Inspector Mick Ashwood, who joined the police investigation a year after Rachelle’s death, have both described her case as “solvable”.
“The most important part of what happened to Rachelle is that this matter is solvable,” Mr Loone told the Childs family.
“I can’t promise you that it will get that far. But I tell you what, I’ll have a bloody good go at it.”
He has inspected the site where Rachelle’s body was found and studied the enormous brief of evidence. He believes Rachelle knew and trusted her killer and that the murder was sexually-motivated. He also believes the offender is alive and that their name is buried somewhere in the brief.
Kristy was thrilled Mr Loone would investigate her sister’s case, but she also felt ripped off by the way police had been handling the case.
“I just want everyone to know that she was one of the good ones,” Kristy said.
“She didn’t deserve it. She was in the prime of her life. She was having fun. She really cared about the people around her.”
In a statement, the Minister extended “her deepest sympathies to Kristy Childs and her family”.
“The Minister ensures all correspondence receives a response, either directly or through the most relevant body,” she said.
“The Minister has no role in setting rewards.”
NSW Police said it launched a re-investigation into the case in January.
For more information about our investigation, visit dearachelle.com.au
If you have any tips or confidential information, please contact investigative journalist Ashlea Hansen at dearrachelle@news.com.au.
You can also join our Dear Rachelle Facebook group.
More Coverage
Originally published as Rachelle Childs’ family ignored after they wrote to the NSW police minister for help
Serial killer fears: Rachelle’s body found near another victim
The inexplicable circumstances of Rachelle Childs’ death sparked fears a serial killer was on the loose after her burning remains were found near another female murder victim.
Read more
‘Disgusting’: Family’s letter to find Rachelle’s killer ignored
Rachelle Childs’ family has fought for almost 24 years to find her killer. Their plea to the NSW Police Minister has been ignored — and cops say it’s “disgusting”. Listen to the podcast, see the video.
Read more