Victoria Police announce $1m reward for cold case double murder of Michael Schievella and Heather McDonald

‘It doesn’t get much worse’ than two young kids finding their mum’s lifeless body, police say, as they announce a $1m reward for a double cold case murder.

A $1m reward has been announced to help solve the murder of a Melbourne mum found covered in bloodstained sheets by her young children more than three decades ago.

Heather McDonald, 36, and her partner Michael Schievella, 44, were brutally killed in their St Andrews home northeast of the CBD on the morning of September 16, 1990.

Ms McDonald’s body was found in the main bedroom covered by bloodstained sheets, while Mr Schievella, a well-known drug dealer, was discovered in the rear garden in a pool of blood.

The harrowing discovery was made by Ms McDonald’s eight-year-old son and nine-year-old daughter.

Homicide squad Detective Inspector Tim Day said Ms McDonald’s son woke about 8am on the day and went into the lounge room to watch TV where he was confronted by a man in a balaclava speaking to Mr Schievella.

Inspector Day said the man took the boy back to his bedroom and left him tied up by his hands on the floor.

He said the boy then reported hearing male voices, including that of Mr Schievella coming from the bedroom area.

Michael Schievella was a well-known drug dealer according to police.

The boy told police he heard a man ask “have you got any money on you?” and “where have you hidden your money?”, to which Mr Schievella responded that he didn’t have any.

The boy then heard Mr Schievella say “don’t do that to her” followed by loud thud-type noises and him screaming.

The boy remained tied up in the bedroom of the in the Mittons Bridge Rd home until his sister was woken by the sound of the phone ringing.

She freed her brother after finding him tied up on the floor and together they made the horrific discovery of their mum and her partner both dead.

Inside the St Andrews house where Michael Schievella and Heather McDonald were murdered.

Inspector Day said the pair fled over paddocks to nearby Mittons Bridge Rd, where they hailed a passing neighbour and raised the alarm.

“It’s hard to describe a homicide more brutal, more callous than this one, it doesn’t get much worse,” he said.

“However ruthless one might be, very few people would be comfortable murdering anyone in the presence of children.

“Effectively, your parents killed in your home while you’re there, how could it not affect the rest of your life?”

Inspector Day said Mr Schievella was a “well-known drug dealer and a criminal identity” and there was clearly a motive for the attack.

The crime scene after the murders of Michael Schievella and Heather McDonald.

A crime scene photo of the St Andrews property where Michael Schievella and Heather McDonald were murdered.

He said Mr Schievella was spotted at the St Andrews hotel the night before with a group of associates where he was involved in a fight with another man.

But Inspector Day said police needed to find out what happened next after he left the pub.

“Who Michael left with, what type of vehicle he left in and where he went,” he said.

“It’s clearly open to suspect that those involved in the altercation with Michael at the St Andrews hotel on that night may be linked to Michael and Heather’s deaths.”

He said detectives strongly believed there was more than one person involved in their murders.

“Because of the background of Michael there is clearly a long list of suspects,” Inspector Day said.

“Some of those have been ruled out, some of those remain within the file.”

He said it was clear the people responsible for the killings were there looking for money.

“They clearly knew about Michael’s activities and that there may be large sums of money there,” Inspector Day said.

He said investigators were pretty confident they were going to get to the bottom of the cold case.

“There may have been someone present at the time of the murders who wishes to set the record straight,” he said.

“The window of opportunity to for that person or those people to come forward is narrow.

“If they wait for a knock on the door from the investigators and then decide to tell their story their credibility is somewhat lessened.”

A reward of up to $1m will be paid at the discretion of the chief commissioner for information leading to the apprehension and subsequent conviction of the person or people responsible for Mr Schievella and Ms McDonald's deaths.

Police said any information given will be treated as confidential and may be given at any time to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

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Originally published as Victoria Police announce $1m reward for cold case double murder of Michael Schievella and Heather McDonald