Paul Winston Byrne’s death could be linked to love triangle with crime syndicate lord

A former Tassie cop believes Paul Winston Byrne was killed after an alleged love triangle involving a crime syndicate lord. LISTEN TO THE PODCAST.

A love triangle could — quite literally — be at the heart of one of Australia’s darkest missing persons cases.

Retired Detective Bob Coad is adamant Paul Winston Byrne was “taught a lesson” for his alleged affair with the girlfriend of the patriarch of a crime syndicate almost 30 years ago.

Mr Coad told News Corp’s The Lost Ones podcast he knew who had murdered the out-of-towner and was “disgusted” they’d never been charged.

“It amazes me even now that no person or persons were ever charged,” he said in episode eight.

“As of the last time that I saw the file and knowing the contents of that file, I’ve got no doubt if it ever went before a coroner, with all the known facts, offenders would be named and charged.”

He said Mr Byrne was almost certainly sexually tortured before he was beaten to death, in the former tin town of Rossarden, in northeast Tasmania.

His body, which is thought to have been dumped down a misused mine shaft, has never been found.

Paul Byrne was 34-years-old when he went missing and was last seen leaving the Rossarden Club in the Fingal Valley of Northern Tasmania at 2am on 20 September 1996.

Originally from New Zealand, Mr Byrne had relocated to Tasmania in 1996, after spending years growing cannabis in Perth and Daylesford, Victoria.

A criminal syndicate had taken over the town — attracted by the cheap properties, going for as little as $5 after the mine closed.

They set up like a fortress, surrounded by deep, dense forest, with just two roads going in and out.

Quickly, Mr Byrne and Rossarden crime patriarch Barry John Weston’s paths crossed.

Listen to the latest podcast episode of The Lost Ones below:

“Not long after that, a party was organised at the Rossarden Club where all this criminal element were attending and Paul Byrne was attending. He was to be plied with alcohol and/or drugs and he was to be taught a lesson,” Mr Coad said.

After that fateful night, Mr Byrne home’s was torched to the ground, along with the house he had been drinking at that night.

Mr Byrne’s sister Lissa Byrne said her little brother had always been a “simple boy” who had been easily taken advantage of and who’d long been involved in petty crime.

But Ms Byrne, who lives in Newcastle, NSW, said her brother likely wouldn’t have known what he was getting involved in at Rossarden.

Retired Tasmania Police detective Bob Coad. Picture: Luke Bowden

“I would like to see it resolved and know where his body is … it would be nice to be able to say goodbye to him,” she said.

Ms Byrne said while she was “pissed off” charges hadn’t been laid, she understood why no-one at Rossarden had come forward.

“From what the police have said, the key guys in that gang are incredibly scary and a lot of people at Rossarden would have been pretty fearful of their lives.

“And don’t forget Paulie was an out-of-towner, so would they have really cared? Probably not.”

Tasmania Police said it was preparing a file for a coronial investigation.

The police also said they hoped reward money in Mr Byrne’s case – which had increased from $100,000 to $500,000 last year – would encourage witnesses to come forward.

“We strongly believe that there are people who have vital information that could lead to a conviction in this case,” a police spokesman said.

To listen to episode seven of The Lost Ones podcast, go to lostonespodcast.com.au

Originally published as Paul Winston Byrne’s death could be linked to love triangle with crime syndicate lord