Police post $500,000 reward to solve Boronia woman’s murder 30 years ago

POLICE have today posted a $500,000 reward to solve Boronia woman Nanette Ellis’ murder committed exactly 30 years ago.

THE family of a Boronia woman murdered 30 years ago hopes a massive $500,000 reward will solve the case.

Nanette Ellis, 41, was stabbed to death in her Manuka Drive home on Friday, February 10, 1984.

Ms Ellis’ story featured in a suburban cold case special feature that Leader produced in 2012.

Victoria Police are using the 30th anniversary to announce the significant reward today in the hopes that someone will reveal the identity of the killer.

Ms Ellis’ son Craig said he felt like his family had been in jail for 30 years while the killer has remained free.

“Could someone please come forward to point police in the right direction,” Mr Ellis said.

“I really believe the time has come to put Nanette to rest.

“Nanette and our family didn’t deserve this terrible situation.”

In 2010, Victoria Police started reinvestigating the cold case after information from the public suggested a suspect.

This person was eliminated from the investigation but the tip prompted a re-examination of crime scene evidence.

Victoria Police Senior Detective Sergeant Stuart Bailey said Ms Ellis had no links to any criminal activity and was well-liked.

“There’s something that has happened, or someone that has taken a dislike to Nanette that her friends and family don’t know about, or police would have discovered it,” Sen-Sgt Bailey said.

Mr Ellis said he desperately hoped the reward would encourage someone to come forward with information.

On February 10, 1984 Ms Ellis went to work as normal and made plans to go out to dinner that evening with a number of work colleagues.

At about 5.15pm, Ms Ellis was seen by a passer-by pulling into the driveway of her Manuka Drive house in her yellow 1982 Toyota Corolla sedan.

Sometime after entering the house, Ms Ellis was attacked by an unknown offender and stabbed a number of times.

It was just after 6pm when Ms Ellis’ youngest son Greg, then 16, discovered her fatally stabbed to death.

At the time of her death, Ms Ellis, who was a manager at Leader Community Newspapers, had been subjected to a series of frightening incidents, including having rocks thrown at her car on four consecutive mornings as she drove to her Belgrave office.

Her car had also been vandalised in the driveway of her home in the week before her murder.

Police have investigated these incidents, but have not yet been able to link them to Mrs Ellis’s death.

Last week police announced a $1 million reward for information on the disappearance and murder of Boronia schoolgirl Bung Siriboon.

Anyone with information should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.