Kellie Carmichael: Sydney homicide squad brief family over Geelong woman’s tragic Blue Mountains death

Homicide detectives have met with the shocked family of a woman whose bones were found in the Blue Mountains to discuss whether her death was a callous murder or misadventure.

Kellie Carmichael went missing in NSW in 2001. Her bones were found in the Blue Mountains last month.

Detectives from Sydney’s unsolved homicide squad have met with the shocked family of a woman whose bones were found in the Blue Mountains to discuss whether her death was a callous murder or misadventure.

Kellie Carmichael was last seen leaving a backpackers lodge in Katoomba in 2001, with investigators telling her parents and siblings years later they believed she had been killed in cold blood by a known suspect.

Her remains were discovered by NSW police on an unrelated search in April, with more bones found in a second search last month.

Her brother has met with homicide squad detectives to discuss the investigation into her death.

The grim find ended a 23 year mystery into her whereabouts, yet the case is far from closed.

Her brother, Danny Carmichael, travelled to Sydney last weekend where he was briefed on the possible cause and circumstances surrounding her death.

A 14-page police brief presented to NSW Deputy State Coroner Carl Milovanovich in 2009 suggested detectives believed she had been killed and had zeroed in on a prime suspect.

However, a lack of a body or evidence had prevented an arrest.

“We have been stuck between where Kellie has been found and where the case was left after the coroner’s inquest, which was a foul play scenario,” Mr Carmichael said.

“We just want to clarify where everything is at.

“We can’t really rule anything in or out at this stage.”

It’s understood detectives are also examining if his sister’s death was accidental or suicide.

She was diagnosed with schizophrenia at 21.

“We want it investigated properly,” he said.

“We have been led down one path for a long time but it may go in another direction.

“We would be happier if it was misadventure or suicide because at least we know that Kellie wasn’t harmed in any way.”

John and Margaret Carmichael at press conference in Sydney to announce a reward for information about their daughter, who went missing in April 2001 from Katoomba.

Mr Carmichael, who lives in North Queensland, said her discovery meant the family could finally say their goodbyes.

“We have never had an opportunity to do that,” he said.

“We have had a long time to deal with it but it still comes as a shock, it was totally out of the blue.

“We are glad her remains were found.”

A $200,000 reward was offered by the NSW government in 2011 to help solve the cold case.

A NSW Police Force spokesman told the Geelong Advertiser her remains were not found as a result of any information offered by a member of the public.

It’s understood the bones were first seen by someone abseiling down a cliff face in Katoomba in an unrelated police search in April.

Forensic testing later revealed they were hers - the first breakthrough in a two decade old mystery.

It is hoped a post-mortem examination will offer some insight into her death.

MYSTERIOUS VANISHING

Kellie was 24 when she left her home in Geelong and travelled to NSW.

She checked out of her accommodation in Katoomba, in the beautiful Blue Mountains region, on April 29, 2001, telling staff she would return later that day to collect her belongings.

She was never seen or heard from again.

Her parents, who now live in Queensland, reported her missing after learning her personal ID, wallet, phone, camera, toiletries and cards were all still at her accommodation, unclaimed.

She had an evening flight booked at Sydney Airport to return to Geelong the day she went missing.

The NSW homicide squad took over the investigation into her disappearance in 2004, with detectives tipped off she may have been murdered.

That line of inquiry sparked speculation a serial killer could have been operating in the Blue Mountains, largely due to a number of missing persons reported in the area in the 1990s and early 2000s.

A coronial inquest was ordered in 2009, which resulted in a recommendation a dedicated police strike force be set up, and a reward offered.

The case remained cold until the startling discovery of her remains in April.

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Originally published as Kellie Carmichael: Sydney homicide squad brief family over Geelong woman’s tragic Blue Mountains death