The victims at the centre of cold cases in Melbourne’s south east that have yet to be solved
They are crimes that shocked Melbourne, but for decades they have remained unsolved. Perhaps you have the clue that could bring about justice.
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While excellent police work, tips off from the public and even a guilty conciences can lead to detectives breaking open the lock on an unsolved murder, there are still plenty of cold cases waiting to be exposed
Here is a wrap of four notable cold cases from Melbourne’s south eastern suburbs.
Christopher Phillips
Christopher Phillips, 42, was murdered in his own home in 1989, and found by his wife in the evening of May 1.
Mr Phillips, living in Cheltenham at the time of his death, had been “seriously assaulted” leaving him with significant head trauma and lacerations, with two knives covered in blood discovered next to his body.
Investigators said there were no signs of defensive wounds, and therefore believe he was first attacked from behind.
Mr Phillips’ house had clearly been rifled through, however, strangely, nothing was found to be stolen.
The back entrance into the house had been forced open, and the killer may have left a shoe print in the surrounding crime scene.
The shoe print found by police was of an ASICS Tiger Gel runner, around a size nine or 10.
Mr Phillips was described as a quiet man, who worked as an engineer, and enjoyed going for runs in the evening.
When his wife found him, he was wearing a tracksuit, with investigators believing he was about to go for a run when he was murdered.
Mr Phillips’ murder remains unsolved, and police increased the initial $50,000 reward to $1 million in 2017, in hopes that it might entice someone to come forward with information.
The Tynong North Murders:
Perhaps one of the more chilling cold cases is the kidnap and murder of six women all found in the Tynong North and Frankston
Differing in age, ethnicity and body type, the women had few things in common. All were last seen travelling on foot, and all but one were heading to catch public transport.
The six women: Allison Rooke, 59, Bertha Miller, 73, Catherine Headland 14, Ann-Marie Sargent, 18, Narumol Stephenson, 34, Joy Carmel Summers, 55, disappeared between 1980 and 1981, and with the exception of Narumol, were all found dead in scrubland.
From the state their bodies were all found in, investigators believe the murderer went to efforts to conceal the locations of the bodies and their identities.
Samantha Mizzi:
Castlemaine mother, Samantha Mizzi, died after being severely assaulted outside a property at 333 Brighton Rd, St Kilda in 1994.
Ms Mizzi had travelled to Melbourne from her Castlemaine home in an effort to make some money to support her children.
Leaving her children in the trust of a friend, Ms Mizzi arrived in Melbourne on March 27, before being last seen alive the following evening in Brighton Rd, near Blanche St by two people.
Ms Mizzi was seen walking towards Blanche St with a man, shortly before local residents reported hearing a woman scream three or four times between 10 and 10.30m.
A passerby discovered Ms Mizzi at 11pm, in an unresponsive state at the rear of 333 Brighton Rd.
After being rushed to hospital, Ms Mizzi died the following morning from her injuries.
Ms Mizzi had been violently beaten and sexually assaulted before being stripped naked.
Her belongings had also been stolen.
Police searched the area but were unable to find the weapon used in attack.
Witnesses say the man seen with Ms Mizzi on the night of her murder looked between 40 and 45, Caucasian, with short grey hair parted to the left. He was thin, about 182cm tall, and was wearing a fawn coloured zip-up jacket and slacks.
Thomas Cooper
Teenager Thomas Cooper was on a date night with his then girlfriend when he was fatally shot in his car in a carpark at Rickett’s Point in Beaumaris.
Mr Cooper and his girlfriend had parked up near the beach about 7.15pm on August 18, 1980, in Mr Cooper’s white Holden sedan.
Using the barrel of what police believe was a .22 rifle, a man smashed through the driver’s side window of the car.
Mr Cooper, in a panic, started the car, in an attempt to escape the gun-wielding attacker.
While Mr Cooper and his girlfriend were in retreat, the unknown man fired several rounds into the driver’s side of the Holden.
Mr Cooper was hit by three of those shots, however, despite his injuries, managed to get the car out onto Beach Rd.
Mr Cooper then got out of his car and collapsed, dying a short time later.
Mr Cooper’s girlfriend flagged down passersby for help, immediately raising the alarm.
Since Mr Cooper’s death, police have released two potential likenesses of the man with the help of Mr Cooper’s girlfriend, one from the time of the attack, and another for what he would look like in 2020.
The man is believed to have been alone, and was Caucasian in appearance with black hair, unshaven with a moustache, and was wearing dark clothing, with a hat and possibly a coat.
Detectives have called the murder a “senseless and indiscriminate act of violence”.
In 2020, police offered a $1m reward for anyone with information on Mr Cooper’s murder.
All of these cases remain unsolved, and the killers are still possibly at large in the community.
Police urge anyone with information on these cases to contact Crime Stoppers Victoria on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report via the Crime Stoppers Victoria website.
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