Son names taxi driver father as suspect in Sharron Phillips disappearance

ONE of Queensland’s most baffling cold cases has taken a surprising turn after a suspect in her murder was named by his son.

ONE of Queensland’s most baffling cold cases has taken another surprising turn after a suspect in her murder — and possibly several others — was identified by his son.

The man has told police that his late father, a taxi driver, could be responsible for Sharron Phillips’ death 30 years ago.

Her case has troubled Queenslanders for decades. Aged just 20 when she disappeared, Ms Phillips ran out of petrol in Wacol, about 10km from her home. She was last seen calling her boyfriend from a payphone. When he came to get her, she had gone.

In an interview with Nine News, the son said his father was supposed to drop his taxi at the same spot Ms Phillips made her call from.

He said he saw the taxi parked suspiciously down a dirt lane and his father’s behaviour was erratic.

“He said, ‘Wait here and keep an eye out for police’, and then he reversed by car around to the back,” he told Nine.

Sharron Phillips.

The man also saw Sharron tied up and gagged with tape in the boot of the taxi, The Courier Mail reported.

He watched as his father pulled her from the boot and walked her to the other car.

The father didn’t want to speak about what was going on, and told him not to worry.

“He didn’t really acknowledge me, he just turned up the stereo and kept driving,” he said.

As soon as they were home, the son got out and drove off somewhere alone.

Days later he found a handbag and women’s shoes in his car.

The man claimed his father confessed to him as he lay dying in 2002.

It is understood that the police activity in May, where a drain in Carole Park was dug up, was related to the man’s “confession”.

Nothing was found during the search. Police said at the time that new and credible information caused them to begin digging in the area.

Sharron Phillips’s parents Dawn and Bob in 1996.

The Carole Park search scene. Picture: Adam Armstrong

“With recent media, we have had a person come forward that has provided the Homicide Squad with some information,” Detective Acting Superintendent Damien Hansen told reporters at the search scene that day.

“Aspects of what they say have been verified in a lot of detail from previous investigations. As a result, we’ve started excavating this scene. We’re looking for Sharron’s remains.”

Det Supt Hanson told The Courier Mail that the story was credible.

“We can say with certainty he has a reason to be in that area at that time with his work,” Det Hanson said.

The Sharron Phillips sign on the side of the Ipswich Motorway. Picture: Chris McCormack

“That was a changeover point for his taxi. That puts him right at that phone box at that time.”

Earlier this year, Ms Phillips’ sister Donna Anderson shocked some family members when she went public with her fears that their father, Bob Phillips, was the killer. He claimed to be picking up a truck the night his daughter vanished.

It was that speculation that reportedly caused the taxi driver’s son to finally come forward.

The Sharron Phillips case has been full of wild theories, including a persistent rumour that soldiers from a nearby barracks were involved.

One story has a soldier supposedly bragging about killing Ms Phillips and then burying the murder weapon, a knife. Others have speculated she could have been accidentally killed, or that a carload of “hoons” seen racing on the road were somehow involved.