New appeal over sickening murder of Melbourne teenager

Police hope a $1 million reward can help solve the 1978 sexual assault and murder of 13-year-old Denise McGregor.

Denise McGregor was sexually assaulted and beaten to death in an attack described by police as “sickening and graphic”.

A $1 million reward will on Wednesday be posted in the horrific cold case murder of Pascoe Vale teen Denise McGregor.

Denise, 13, was murdered and sexually assaulted after visiting local shops with her sister in 1978.

Her body was found dumped at Wallan East the next day.

Police say Denise and her 11-year-old sister left their family’s Bell St home on the night of March 20 with a $5 note from their mother.

They walked to a hamburger shop in their street and paid for food before leaving together.

They started to head home but Denise gave the food to her sister and told her she was going to buy drinks from a milk bar on the corner of Bell and Andersen streets.

Denise McGregor’s body was found dumped by the side of this road in Wallan East.

But she did not arrive home by 7pm and the family contacted police after searching for her without success.

Denise’s partially clothed body was found the next morning on Merriang Rd, Wallan East.

She had been sexually assaulted and beaten to death in an attack described by police as “sickening and graphic”.

Detective Insp. Tim Day of the homicide squad said the case remained a priority, despite the passage of 43 years.

“The terror Denise would have endured before her death is unimaginable,” Insp. Day said.

“As homicide investigators, we are often dealing with the worst of humanity but

Denise’s murder is a particularly devastating case.”

Denise’s shoe was discovered at the crime scene.

Investigators remain keenly interested in Denise’s use of a CB radio at a girlfriend’s house.

They say that she had communicated on the radio with a male using the call sign “Lightning One”.

That person has never been identified, despite hundreds of people having being spoken to as part of the inquiry.

Investigators believe there are people in the community who know who is responsible for the killing.

Insp. Day said police wanted more than just bringing the murderer to justice

“As much as this is about holding those responsible accountable, it is also about

giving Denise’s desperate family answers that they haven’t had for over four

decades,” he said.

The $1 million reward would come with an offer of consideration of an indemnity from prosecution to anyone able to identify the principal offender or offenders.

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