Sharron Phillips inquest: Prime suspect’s son called retired detective to confess father’s guilt

The son of the prime suspect in the 1986 disappearance of Sharron Phillips called a retired detective in 2016 to confess his father’s guilt, an inquest has been told.

Former detective Bob Dallow outside the Coroner's Court in Brisbane. Picture: Dan Peled

A retired detective has told the inquest into the 1986 disappearance of Sharron Phillips how a man called him in 2016, saying his father was her murderer.

Bob Dallow said Ian Seeley, whose late taxi driver father is considered the prime suspect, told him he knew who committed Sharron Phillips’s murder.

Mr Dallow said when he asked Mr Seeley how he knew, he said: “Because my father did it.”

He told the inquest Mr Seeley told him of helping to move Sharron Phillips from a taxi into the boot of his car on the night she went missing.

Former detective Bob Dallow gave evidence at the inquest into the disappearance of Sharron Phillips who vanished without a trace in May 1986. Picture: Dan Peled

Mr Dallow headed the homicide unit investigation into Ms Phillips’s disappearance from 1986 to 1988, but was retired at the time Mr Seeley called him.

Ms Phillips disappeared in the early hours of May 9, 1986, after her car ran out of petrol on Ipswich Rd, Wacol, and she has never been found.

A Homicide Cold Case Unit investigation began in 2016, after Ian Seeley said his father, Raymond Mulvihill, made a deathbed confession implicating himself in Ms Phillip’s disappearance.

A 1988 inquest into Ms Phillips’s disappearance reopened this week and Ian Seeley is expected to give evidence tomorrow.

Mr Dallow said Mr Seeley phoned him in 2016, after seeing him do a television interview about Sharron Phillips.

He said Mr Seeley told him he was dissatisfied with the police investigation about Ms Phillips.

Mr Dallow said Mr Seeley told him of a night when he drove out to pick up his father, Raymond Mulvihill, who had just finished his taxi shift.

Sharron Phillips

He said Mr Seeley told him his father opened the boot of the cab and the father pulled Sharron Phillips out of there.

“He put Sharron in the boot of the car Ian was driving, but Seeley had to help him, because Sharron was a big girl and very strong,” Mr Dallow said.

He said Seeley said as they were putting Ms Phillips in the boot of his car he noticed blood on her head.

“He then said he drove the car home to his house, while Sharron was in the boot,” Mr Dallow said.

“He could hear her kicking in the boot.”

Mr Dallow said Mr Seeley told him they drove home and he got out of the car and his father then drove off in Mr Seeley’s car.

Mr Dallow said he got the impression Ms Phillips had been belted because Mr Seeley said there was blood on her head.

Mr Seeley said for there to have been blood something must have been done to her as she was very strong.

“Later on he told me that the father showed him where he dropped the body off,” Mr Dallow said.

Raymond Mulvihill's taxi.

He said Mr Seeley said his father was dying at the time.

“If he’s shown the right spot I’ll believe in the Easter bunny,” Mr Dallow said.

Mr Dallow said Mr Seeley said he had recognised Ms Phillips from seeing her around Inala.

Mr Dallow said he called homicide after the conversation.

He said when he later made a recorded phone call to Mr Seeley, at the request of police, Mr Seeley denied helping his father put Ms Phillips in the boot of the car.

Mr Dallow said he was completely certain that Mr Seeley earlier told him he had helped his father put her in his car boot.

“He said ‘I helped put her in the boot’,” Mr Dallow said.

Mr Dallow said the names of Raymond Mulvihill and Ian Seeley were not known to police during his time investigating Ms Phillips’ disappearance.

Homicide Detective sergeant Scott Chapman told the inquest police still believed Sharron Phillips went missing on May 8 or 9, 1986, under suspicious circumstances.

“However, we believe Raymond Mulvihill played a significant role in her disappearance and Ian Seeley potentially played a role as well,” Det St Chapman said.

The inquest is continuing.

Originally published as Sharron Phillips inquest: Prime suspect’s son called retired detective to confess father’s guilt