Eleven missing people from the Eastern suburbs
Thousands of people go missing in Victoria every year. Most are found, but some continue haunt the hearts of eastern suburbs residents. See the list.
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Every year, Victoria Police receives more than 8000 missing person reports.
About 44 per cent are found within two days, others take decades to find answers.
Some cases have never been solved and heartbroken families are still desperately hoping for their loved ones to be found.
Here are 11 baffling missing person cases from the eastern suburbs.
Adriano Mason
A 27-year-old Adriano Mason left his Clyde St, East Kew home to take his rottweiler dog for a walk at 9.45pm on July 2, 1992.
Adriano never returned home, and both he and his dog have remained missing for more than 30 years.
He was last seen wearing blue jeans, a grey jumper, navy T-shirt and white basketball boots.
Andrew Kearney
Andrew Kearney was in his final year of school when he left home without leaving a note on August 22, 1981.
Police suspect Andrew disappeared due to the pressure of upcoming final exams and he could be using the alias of Dale of Saunders.
His family has been left without answers since 1981.
Cherie Westall
Cherie Westall has not been seen since an appointment on December 12, 2000.
The then 16-year-old visited a dentist at 12pm at Knox Dental Group, in Wantirna South, and left half an hour later.
At 1.58pm, Cherie called her Mooroolbark home from a public phone box on the corner of Selkirk Ave and Wantirna Rd, Wantirna — about 5km from the dentist.
Cherie has not been seen or heard from since.
“My sister literally vanished into thin air,” her sister Tanya told the media in 2014.
“Shock, disbelief takes hold of you as you question why.
“To anyone with information that may solve our case, please come forward because you may just be the missing link to solving the mystery.”
Joanne Deason
Joanne Deason left a note for her boyfriend on August 22, 2003 saying she was heading to school and would return to her Gembrook home afterwards.
Joanne never made it to school and she also never returned home.
Police said she had depression at the time of her disappearance.
John Forster
John Forster was last seen by his wife and their two sons on October 7, 2017 at their Diamond Creek home.
His family left the house and when they returned John was gone, along with their 1998 green Subaru Forester wagon.
John’s wallet and keys were left at home.
Later that night, his vehicle was found at the Sugarloaf Reservoir in Christmas Hills, parked near the water intake tower lookout.
His wife, Christine Foster, said John was not familiar with the area and he could have become disorientated.
John has not been seen since.
Linda Grimstone
At 8.50am on September 4, 2000, Linda Grimstone dropped her two children off at Croydon Hills Primary but she never returned to pick them up.
Police discovered Linda stopped at the Wesburn petrol station for fuel at 9.45am.
She was spotted in the Powers Lookout carpark at 3.50pm but this would be the last sighting of the mum of two.
Police have not been able to explain her reason for visiting Powers Lookout but her car was found at 10am the next day in bushland nearby.
Richard Hardwick
21-year-old Richard Hardwick was last seen at his home by his parents on Saturday May 19, 1990.
A taxi dropped Richard at home at 12.30am and waited in the driveway while he got changed.
He told his mum he was going to Fosters Disco in Dandenong.
With little money and no extra clothing, the taxi drove Richard away.
It was the last time his mother saw him.
Investigators believed Richard was afraid of being sent to prison after he was bailed to attend Dandenong Magistrates Court on burglary charges on May 24, 1990.
Siriyakorn Siriboon
Siriyakorn Siriboon was last seen on Thursday June 2, 2011 at 8.25am.
Siriyakorn left her family home on Elsie St, Boronia to walk to school, dressed in her school uniform, a dark blue zip-front school jacket and carrying a backpack.
She did not make it to school.
Homicide investigators told the Herald Sun in 2021 they believed her case could still be solved.
“As history has shown, often those involved in a crime of this nature are unable to keep it secret so we are especially keen to hear from anyone who may have specific knowledge of the person involved,” Detective leading senior Constable Justin Tippett said.
There is a $1m reward for any information that helps to solve her case.
Suzanne Lawrence
Suzanne Lawrence failed to return home after a Healesville birthday party on Saturday February 7, 1987.
The then 16-year-old has not been seen since the party.
Little else is known about her puzzling disappearance but police believe she may have been murdered.
Tej Chitnis
Tej Chitnis was last seen on Wednesday April 27, 2016 at 10am leaving his Burwood East home in his silver Volkswagen Golf.
Tej usually drove to the Blackburn Railway station, parked his car (with Victorian registration TTF 517) in a nearby street before catching public transport to university.
His car was last seen travelling east on the Maroondah Hwy, Healesville near the intersection of Green St at 11.34am.
Tej failed to return home and missed his father’s birthday dinner that night. His car has also never been found.
Police had concerns for Tej as this behaviour was out of character.
Tej was last seen wearing a T-shirt, jeans and black Adidas runners and is described as 170-175 cm tall, of Indian appearance, medium build, with short black hair.
Warren Meyer
Warren Meyer went bushwalking at 7.45am on March 23, 2008.
At lunchtime he was supposed to meet up with his wife and friends for lunch at the RACV club in Healesville but he never arrived.
Warren was wearing shorts, a light top and his walking boots on the day of his disappearance.
He also took a backpack containing a map of the area, a handheld GPS, mobile telephone and some water and confectionery on the walk.
Warren’s white Subaru Forester was found parked at Dom Dom Saddle car park in Yarra Ranges, a 15 minute drive north of Healesville, but Warren has not been seen since.
Police have urged anyone with information that may assist to locate any of these people, to please call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
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