Who killed Melbourne socialite Jeanette Moss?
EVERY suspect, including an innocent Home and Away actress, has been ruled out in the mystery death of lingerie widow Jeanette Moss. So who killed the glamorous Middle Park grandmother?
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THE last voicemail on Jeanette Moss’s mobile says: “Thanks very much for the birthday wishes.”
It’s said in a loving, sarcastic tone.
The Melbourne socialite wasn’t one to miss a friend’s birthday.
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Other friends’ phones had also gone silent.
The daily ring-around while the Bold and Beautiful was on, did not happen on January 14, 2015.
Glasses of white wine that were to be sipped during the chatter remained full.
Sherrill Towner thought it was out of character, she hadn’t heard from her friend of 40 years for her 70-something birthday and made the remark to her husband.
“I said ‘it’s a wonder we haven’t heard from Jenny today, she must’ve gone out for lunch’,” she said.
“I left her a message on the phone. But she was obviously dead when I rang.”
The glamorous grandmother had been cruelly murdered — a neighbour finding her inside her Beaconsfield Parade apartment, lifeless, with a sheet around her neck.
The television was on but was flicked on mute.
Had she heard something and silenced the TV for a better listen?
Her friends and family are stunned beyond comprehension. Police remain baffled as they are no closer to finding her killer.
Her stylish Middle Park apartment wasn’t ransacked.
Her gold and black watch, a gold ring set with a green stone with an etched lion and a thick gold bracelet were stolen, yet more valuable jewellery and electronic goods left untouched.
For Jenny, as she was affectionately known, her days of late had been busy organising her 70th birthday.
It was to fall on the same day as Bruce Springsteen’s Melbourne concert — but not even The Boss could upstage the lady who’d be “Queen for a day”, with many friends forgoing their tickets.
Just five days before her death, she had stepped out to a Port Melbourne boutique and purchased her outfit – a white lace couture two-piece.
“She looked fabulous in it,” Ms Towner says, recalling how she sat in the change room with her.
Meticulous in everything she did, the trusting widow of lingerie baron Hal Moss, who owned the Hilton and Kayser brands, had even planned to spruce up her waterview apartment for the big bash which was going to be held the month after.
This has opened up a theories an opportunistic tradie may have ended the 69-year-old’s life – but an extensive search of all tradesman in the area at the time did not offer any clues.
The police case is back to the start in some ways and now it is a case of the city’s own version of Making A Murderer: all the evidence collected is being retested.
Officers remain strongly convinced that someone Ms Moss knew murdered her – a theory her family struggle to comprehend, as Ms Moss did not have any enemies.
Detectives are hoping for a breakthrough and something that will allow them to build the killer’s profile and narrow down their search.
“The results will tell us ‘this is what we have got, have we got a profile or any new evidence’,” Homicide Squad Detective Sergeant Scott Jones said.
“We are retesting to make sure nothing has fallen through the cracks.”
No motive has been established despite case notes, leads and evidence being re-examined by various homicide squad detectives.
Friends, family members and even tradies doing works around Middle Park at the time of Ms Moss’ death have been interviewed but all cleared.
Among those was Cathy Godbold, a former Home And Away, Saddle Club and Blue Heelers actor who died early this year, was interviewed over the death.
She came to police attention after some in the inner circle reported to detectives she had scratches to her face, resembling someone who had been in a scuffle.
Police followed the lead seriously – in a case like this everything was pursued.
But it was to be just another line of inquiry that hit a wall.
Godbold’s alibis were watertight and police concluded the marks on her face were there before Ms Moss’ death.
But like so many cold cases, police are hoping for a breakdown of mateship.
A reward is something that police can still offer to entice a new clue.
“Over time friendships change and people talk,” Sgt Jones said.
Ms Moss had lived alone since about 1999 when she became a widow, but her social life and large friendship group never really allowed her to be bored.
When they weren’t having fancy lunches and clinking champagne glasses, they were on the phone.
Ms Moss had become frail in later years after being diagnosed with terminal lung condition in 2013.
According to doctors, 2018 was to be the last year of her life.
But despite all this she continued to round up the “ladies who lunch” for gatherings, was still active at the gym and her pride in her appearance never withered.
A doting grandmother was also high on the priority list.
And she was a friend that most people wanted to have.
Honest, caring, kind, gentle, thoughtful, life of the party, a “real darl” and a beautiful soul are often words bandied around when describing Ms Moss.
Elsie Johnston says her life was richer for having her friend of 30 years in it.
But a phone call while sitting on a bus changed all that.
“Jenny has been murdered,” a friend tells over a stream of tears.
It didn’t make any sense to Ms Johnston, who just 24 hours earlier, had spent the day together.
It was just a normal Tuesday for the pair on January 14, 2014 - apart from the 42C day.
Ms Moss picked up Ms Johnston from her Port Melbourne home about 9.15am and they headed to the gym for a light workout.
Ms Moss insisted, despite the hot temperatures.
“She wasn’t called Bossy Mossy for no reason,” Ms Johnston said.
Over a 40-minute brunch, in their active wear, the pair shared a toasted sandwich and drank a coffee each.
CCTV then captures Ms Moss waiting outside a pharmacy in Bay St, Port Melbourne, while her friend drops off a script to get made while they get bits and pieces from the nearby Coles.
Dozens of shoppers pass Ms Moss as her thin frame stands in the foyer waiting for Ms Johnston to come out after she zipped through the check-out at a quicker pace.
Their morning date ends at Ms Johnston’s home in the car but not before Bold and Beautiful shenanigans are discussed, Ms Moss’s GP appointment the following day and lunch with her daughter the day after.
She also mentioned she had a nail appointment that day but took Ms Johnston’s advice to head straight home.
“No, it’s too hot, I’m going straight home to put the air conditioner on and have a lazy day because I’m going to be so busy for the next couple of days,” Ms Moss would tell her from inside her green BMW.
A kiss on the cheek and the usual “we’ll be in touch” followed.
There was always something to talk about between the pair, regardless of how many hours were spent together.
But Ms Johnston hasn’t been able to get to the gym or do things they used to do together.
“Everything has changed since I lost Jen,” she says.
The same is to be said for Ms Moss’ family.
They are not giving up on finding the killer, regardless of how long it takes.
“Mum deserves justice and we won’t stop she gets it. I want to able to tell my kids the person who did this to their grandmother is off the street,” son Derham Moss said.
“We just want to find why mum died and who did it.”
Ms Moss would often begin her ringaround from about 5pm.
But on January 14 this never happened.
While her friends wondered why, some brushed it off as the heat getting to Ms Moss, which would have aggravated her lung condition.
In bed early was the conclusion many reached.
Police tape around her Middle Park home the following day provided answers to why Jenny didn’t ring the night earlier or wish her close friend a happy birthday.
But three years on, little else has been answered.
Anyone with any information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
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