Krystal Fraser coronial inquest hears chilling phone call

The lead detective investigating the disappearance of Krystal Fraser believes he knows who killed her as an inquest hears the call she received before she vanished.

The lead investigator into the suspected murder of Krystal Fraser has told a court he believes he knows the person responsible for her disappearance.

Detective Inspector Wayne Woltsche, who headed up the investigation over a nine year period, was called to give evidence on days three and four of the coronial inquest.

He told the inquest Peter “PJ” Jenkinson was quickly established as a suspect in the case after evidence disputing his claim to not have spoken to Krystal for about three weeks prior to her disappearance was uncovered.

Mr Jenkinson is due to appear before the inquest on July 18.

No one has been charged over the disappearance of Krystal Fraser and no evidence has been found to indicate she remains alive.

Detective Inspector Wayne Woltsche.

The former homicide squad investigator told the inquest he joined the case on August 7 after Bendigo detectives uncovered evidence that Krystal may not be alive.

“Krystal was a prolific phone user,” he said. “The fact that her phone use stopped at 2.49am (on June 21, 2009) was most unusual. I viewed it as a probable homicide immediately.”

Detective Inspector Woltsche said the “leading theory” among investigators was that Krystal had been met with foul play at the hands of a possible father of her son.

Mr Jenkinson had previously been nominated by members of Krystal’s family as one of three men she said could have been the father.

She also told her parents the father could have been Gareth David or Tony Gatt, although friends and associates of Krystal have suggested three additional names.

After Krystal disappeared, a friend of hers told police Krystal had said she was threatened by a man earlier in June.

“He said if I don‘t get rid of the baby, he’ll get rid of me,” the woman reported Krystal told her.

Police were unable to identify whether this occurred.

Detective Inspector Woltsche said a burning question among investigators had always been the identity of a person who made 19 phone calls to Krystal between May 14, 2009, and the night of her disappearance from a payphone outside the Leitchville Post Office.

“If this person was unrelated to the disappearance, I would like to think they would have come forward by now,” he said.

After she disappeared there were no further calls from the payphone, according to Detective Inspector Woltsche.

He said Krystal’s phone records show regular contact with Mr Jenkinson in the year leading up to her disappearance, terminating abruptly on May 13 – the day before she began receiving phone calls from the payphone.

The phone at Leitchville where the last call to Krystal Fraser was made on the night of her disappearance.

He also pointed to a diary entry written by Krystal on June 16 at 7.30pm which ended with the sentence; “my good mate PJ called, we might be catching up if I go home on the weekend”.

Records show Krystal received a call from the payphone at 7.45pm that day, lasting 182 seconds.

“It’s my belief a substantial conversation between the pair has taken place on May 13,” Detective Inspector Woltsche said.

“The following day the phone box starts getting used. Perhaps Ms Fraser has decided Mr Jenkison is the father of her child and it is the motive of her disappearance on that night.”

“Someone didn't want to be named as the father.”

Police were also unable to substantiate a claim that a former friend of Mr Jenkinson’s, Stephen Jones, now deceased, “saw a white shirt with stab holes and blood”.

“He’d supplied a statement and had come to the belief Mr Jenkinson had something to do with the disappearance,” Detective Inspector Woltsche said.

“He never said he knew. If he produced something relevant it would have been seized.”

The inquest continues.