Pyramid Hill: Peter Jenkinson excused from giving evidence into Krystal Fraser’s disappearance

The primary suspect into the suspected murder of Pyramid Hill woman Krystal Fraser has been excused from giving evidence, as police explain what they believe happened.

The primary suspect in the disappearance and presumed murder of a heavily pregnant woman in Central Victoria has been exempt from giving evidence as a coronial inquest continues.

The inquest into what happened to Pyramid Hill woman Krystal Fraser, 23, continued on Monday morning as the case’s lead investigator, Detective Senior Constable Brett Thexton, testified he believed the soon-to-be-mother had met with “foul play”.

Peter Jenkinson, the primary suspect linked to Krystal Fraser's presumed murder, leaves the coronial inquest on Monday. Picture: Hayley Elg

Over the course of six days the inquest has examined what could have happened to Ms Fraser after she discharged herself from Bendigo Base Hospital on June 20, 2009, and told staff she was going home to Pyramid Hill to attend a party.

On Monday the detective dismissed theories she could have “run away” to another area and could still be alive, noting proof of life checks on her bank accounts and phone records had not yielded anything.

He also dismissed the possibility she could have taken her own life, referring to previous evidence heard during the inquest into how excited she was about her child being born.

The Missing Person Squad's DSC Brett Thexton (left) and former OIC of the local police station at the time, SC Christopher Goyne, (middle) gave evidence in the coronial inquest into the disappearance of Krystal Fraser on Monday.

He also dismissed a theory she could have met with foul play in relation to drug activities, saying he believed she was “incapable of handling large amounts of money or moving drugs” due to her intellectual disability.

Now in charge of the investigation through his role in Victoria Police’s Missing Persons Squad, he told the inquest he believed the most likely scenario was the person responsible for her disappearance and suspected murder believed they were the father of her child.

He said this fact and how it could affect their life could be seen as a “strong” motivation.

The detective was also questioned by counsel assisting the inquiry, Fiona Batten, about why Ms Fraser’s semen-soiled bedding had not been tested for DNA.

He said the testing had not been conducted because of Ms Fraser’s “personal hygiene” and the fact she had “multiple partners”.

Krystal Fraser’s mother Karen looks at a photo of her daughter.

The inquest has previously heard Peter “PJ” Jenkinson – who sat in court throughout the hearing on Monday – was considered the primary suspect.

Detective Senior Constable Thexton said the pair had contacted each other thousands of times on their mobile and landline telephones in 2008 and 2009 but this contact mostly ceased–aside from her contacting him at least four times in the week of her disappearance – after a nine-minute phone call on May 13, 2009.

He said Ms Fraser began receiving calls from a phone box at Leitchfield the following day but they “suspiciously” stopped following a short phone call to her mobile from the phone box just before midnight on June 20.

Detective Senior Constable Thexton said investigators had never been able to determine who had made these phone calls and nobody had ever come forward, despite numerous public appeals.

He said the phone box was a crucial part of the running theory as to what happened to Ms Fraser and it had helped police rule out other people of interest, including Jason McPherson, Alan Somers, Anthony Gatt, Craig Newton, Gareth David and Robert Glennie — the last person to see her alive.

Then officer in charge of Gunbower Police Station, Christopher Goyne, also gave evidence to the court on Monday about going to Jenkinson’s house to interview him about Ms Fraser’s disappearance on Monday, June 29, 2009.

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

The inquest heard Jenkinson – one of three people identified as the potential father of Ms Fraser’s baby – had told him the last time he had spoken to Ms Fraser was via phone call from Bendigo Hospital around June 19.

The inquest heard Jenkinson had participated in three police interviews and his property had been searched several times during the investigation but “nothing of value” had been found.

Jenkinson, who the court heard had a sexual relationship with Ms Fraser, was also due to give evidence to the inquest on Monday but his application to be excused due to the likelihood of his evidence incriminating him was approved by the coroner.

Ms Batten said he had reasonable grounds to object to giving evidence as he had been named the primary suspect and his evidence might “prove he committed the offence of murder”.

The inquest will continue on Wednesday.