Forensic search begins at former home of missing woman, Lynette Dawson

POLICE have vowed to dig “until we hit rock” as they begin an extensive excavation of the home where an Aussie mum vanished almost 40 years ago.

Lyn Dawson has been missing for almost 40 years.

POLICE will dig “until we hit rock” as they ramp up their search for the body of Lynette Dawson, but they say a conviction is not dependent on them finding a body.

Her former husband, Chris Dawson, has long been a suspect in the disappearance of Lyn, who was last seen alive more than 40 years ago, but he had consistently denied involvement.

Homicide Squad commander Detective Superintendent Scott Cook said he had “absolute” confidence police would be able to lay charges against Mr Dawson, regardless of whether the dig turns up evidence of her remains.

Police began a “hand dig” today at Chris and Lyn’s former home on Sydney’s northern beaches.

Mr Dawson told police the mother-of-two ran off to join a “religious cult” in January 1982.

However, explosive podcast The Teacher’s Pet, produced by The Australian newspaper, has shot holes in that theory and NSW Police began today a fresh search that could lead to evidence of her suspected murder.

Lyn Dawson mysteriously disappeared in 1982.

Chris Dawson pictured with his twin brother Paul.

“It is the right time for us, for them (the family),” Det Supt Scott Cook told reporters at the Bayview home, where police started digging this morning.

“It was dependent on the weather and a whole lot of other issues getting the logistics together to do this. We will have a lot of people here working. The number of people will increase and decrease as we need it.

“We want to make sure that we can put this to bed.”

Lyn’s brother Greg Simms said the family was “a bit stunned” by the new search at Bayview on the northern beaches, 36 years after Lyn vanished.

“We can only hope that they find something. If they find something it will vindicate everything we have been doing,” Mr Simms told The Australian.

“Anything that leads to more information that leads to an arrest. If they find Lyn that’s a double whammy for us — we’ve got him (Lyn’s killer) and we’ve also got her so we can put her to rest.”

The dig began this morning. Picture: John Grainger

Police will dig until they hit rock. Picture: Matrix

Mr Cook said police would dig to the bottom of the property’s swimming pool and until they “hit rock” in other parts of the garden.

“At the end of the day, it will be a hand dig,” he added. “The sift will be done through machines where we can do it through machines, if we can’t, it will be by hand.

“We have photographs. We have got a good understanding of this particular property. We have radar penetration looking at the ground, we have — there is a lot of work that has been done here.

“It is a complex block of land because it is largely rock and so digging is not easy. Digging about 300-400mm down is about as far as we are going to get in most areas.”

In 2015, detectives from the Homicide Squad’s Unsolved Homicide Unit established Strike Force Scriven to reinvestigate the circumstances surrounding the 1982 disappearance.

“As part of their ongoing commitment to providing answers to her family, Strike Force Scriven detectives have commenced a forensic search at Mrs Dawson’s former home at Bayview,” police said in a statement this morning.

Police start a new dig at the Bayview house. Picture John Grainger

Ms Dawson’s family is stunned by the news. Picture: Matrix

WHAT HAPPENED TO LYNETTE DAWSON?

Lyn and Chris Dawson were childhood sweethearts.

On the surface, they had it all — a wholesome relationship, respectable jobs and a home in an idyllic suburb on Sydney’s northern beaches.

Lyn worked a nurse, and was seen as a kind and gentle soul. Chris was a popular high school PE teacher and talented sportsman.

In 1980, Chris began a relationship with his 16-year-old Cromer High School student Joanne Curtis. Their relationship became sexual, and Chris employed the girl as a babysitter for his two daughters.

Joanne Curtis pictured with Chris and Lyn’s two daughters, Shanelle and Sherrin.

He tried convincing his wife to let the girl move into their home for the remainder of her schooling, saying she came from a broken home and had a violent stepfather. The couple ended up in marriage counselling.

On January 9, 1982, Lyn was due to meet her mother at Northbridge Baths, where Chris worked.

But Lyn never arrived. Chris later claimed he dropped her off at a bus stop in Mona Vale, and that she called him later in the day saying she needed time to herself.

No more than two days later, Joanne had moved into Chris’ home — and marital bed. She would even wear Lyn’s jewellery and her clothes.

Chris didn’t report his wife as missing until six weeks later, and told everyone she had run off to join a religious cult.

A body was never found — but they did discover Lyn’s pink cardigan during a police dig. The garment had multiple cut marks consistent with stabbing.

Two coroners later found that Lyn was murdered by a “known person”, but no charges were ever laid.