Rifle shots murder of Pacific Fair Myers staffer Colin Woodhouse unsolved cold case 30 years on

It was Christmas Eve and Colin Woodhouse was going home to his family after his shift at a famed Gold Coast shopping mall when he was shot and killed. Read the unsolved cold case details

Colin David Woodhouse was on his way home to spend Christmas with his family when he was murdered.

It was just after midnight on Christmas Eve 1992 and the chef was heading home after a busy night working at Pacific Fair’s Myers restaurants when he stopped his maroon Ford Falcon station wagon on Worongary’s Quambone St, just a short distance from his home.

There, under mysterious circumstances, he was shot by a bolt-action 303 rifle in the face, chest and abdomen by a man who was seen leaving the scene in a Nissan Skyline.

Police believe the killer posed as a motorist having car trouble and flagged Mr Woodhouse down for help before shooting him.

The father of two was just 30 years old.

Colin Woodhouse was found shot by his car near his Worongary home at about 12.45am after leaving work at Myer's, Pacific Fair back in 1992. The case remains unsolved.

He was survived by Darlene, his wife of five years, his son Sage, then-three years old, daughter, Tegan, then aged 18 months.

It’s been more than 30 years since his murder, which sparked a major murder investigation which ran through 1993.

It remains unsolved today, despite pleas from his family.

Speaking on Christmas Day 1992, Mr Woodhouse’s father David said the murdered man’s family were at a total loss to understand the crime.

“We are Christians so vengeance is not an issue,’’ he said.

“We just want to know the reason for this tragic loss,’’ he told media on the day.

“If we had lost Colin in a road accident we would have been desperately hurt, but for him to be gunned down in sheer cold-blooded violence is something else.

“If it wasn’t for our faith, I don’t know how we would have made it through the last two days.’’

Colin Woodhouse’s wife Darlene.

Myers Pacific Fair general manager Scott Adams was among the last people to see Mr Woodhouse alive.

“He seemed totally at ease,’’ he said at the time.

“He was looking forward to spending Christmas with his family.’’

Gold Coast regional crime co-ordinator Detective Inspector Granville Pearce said police were baffled by the crime.

“We are desperately searching for the missing link. Just one little piece of information might be what we need.

“Somebody definitely wanted him dead.

“It is just so puzzling because from all accounts he was a hardworking family man without any criminal connections whatsoever.’’

Mrs Woodhouse pleaded for the perpetrators of her husband’s killing to come forward to police.

“I have many reasons for wanting help in catching my husband’s killer,” she said.

“For my young children who cry daily for the loss of their daddy and in the future will have to come to grips with this crime.

Flowers in memory of Colin Woodhouse.

“For my husband who in his short lifetime would have been horrified at such violence and would want his killer brought to justice.

“It is now two weeks and even though the tears may have slowed, the determination to solve this crime has not.’’

While Mr Woodhouse’s murder is now a cold case, police are still hoping to solve it and a $250,000 reward remains on offer for anyone who can help solve his killing.

Homicide’s Cold Case ­Investigation Team Detective Senior Sergeant Tara Kentwell told the Bulletin in 2020: “The man is described as aged in his mid-40s, average proportion of build, approximately 180cm tall, olive complexion with a scruffy appearance, short wavy grey hair with a slightly darker moustache and wearing dark coloured clothes.”

Police now believe Mr Wood house may have been involved in a property deal.

Call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333000.