$2M reward to crack 10 North Queensland cold cases
More than $2 million is up for grabs for tips leading to the arrest and prosecution of the people responsible for 10 unsolved cold cases in North Queensland.
Cold Cases
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THE cold case arrest of Bowen hotel manager Rex Kable Keen’s alleged killer comes a year after a break in another decades-old major murder investigation.
Dorothy Britton, 48, was shot dead in her Airlie Beach home in 1996.
Twenty-two years later, police believed they were closing in on the prime suspect when they charged her son Christopher Mark Britton in May 2018.
Homicide Investigation Unit Cold Case Team detective Senior Constable Darren Mills said the arrest would help progress investigations into a dozen North Queensland investigations.
“Success in closing cold case homicides assists in building momentum for other cold case homicides,” Sen-Constable Mills said.
He said there were no borders when it came to cracking cold case murders, with detectives working with counterparts in every state and territory.
“The Homicide Investigation Unit will deploy to wherever we’re needed to go,” he said. Sen-Constable Mills’ word rang true, when police made a break in the murder case of Mr Keen.
Mr Keen, 46 at the time, was found brutally murdered in a Brisbane hotel room on August 14, 1976.
He was in the state’s capital for a medical appointment and booked a room on the 12th floor of Lennons Plaza Hotel, on Queen St.
On the night Mr Keen was killed he was seen drinking at a bar. Hours later, a waitress delivering room service to Mr Keen noticed there was another man in his room.
Police believe Mr Keen invited in his own killer. They had been looking for the man from the get go.
After an 18 month review of the cold case, police charged 69-year-old Bundaberg man Benjamin Jansen on July 1, 43 years after Mr Keen died.
Police said the breakthrough came with advances in technology and new information from witnesses who were reinterviewed.
“Cases don’t get put on the shelves, never to be reviewed. We’ve got a great team that continues to look at how to advance cases,” Homicide Detective Inspector Damien Hansen said.
“It’s 43 years … they’d (Mr Keen’s family) be going through a lot of emotion at the moment.”
Jansen appeared in Bundaberg Magistrates Court on July 2, charged with one count of murder and stealing, where he made no application for bail. Magistrate Ross Woodford ordered Jansen be remanded in custody until August 22.
UNSOLVED CASES
DIANE ANGWIN
A $250,000 reward is on offer for information leading to the apprehension and conviction of the man responsible for the murder of Diane Angwin on December 2, 1997.
Ms Angwin, of 3/51 Leichhardt St, Bowen, was fatally stabbed in the chest by an unknown male assailant.
She was taken to Bowen Hospital, where she was pronounced dead on arrival.
A post-mortem revealed the stab wound severed the right carotid artery.
SHANDEE BLACKBURN
On February 9, 2013, Shandee Blackburn, 23, was found on Boddington St, Mackay, with a number of stab wounds to her upper body.
She was taken to Mackay Base Hospital but died a short time later.
Her handbag was stolen at the time of the offence.
A $250,000 reward is up for grabs for information leading to the conviction of the killer.
RICHARD DOBROWOLSKI
At about 8.15pm on Monday, March 31, 1997, Richard Dobrowolski, 46, of 39 Ungerer St, North Mackay, went to investigate an intruder.
His companion saw a person earlier in the night hiding behind a large fishing boat stored in the backyard.
As they went behind the boat, the intruder emerged and chased the pair to the rear stairs of the residence. As they retreated up the stairs, Mr Dobrowolski received a shotgun wound to the back. He died shortly after.
A $250,000 reward is on offer for the successful conviction of the shooter.
ROBIN HOINVILLE-BARTRAM and ANITA CUNNINGHAM
On July 4, 1972, Robin Hoinville-Bartram left Melbourne with Anita Cunningham on a hitchhiking holiday to visit her mother in Bowen.
On November 15, 1972, Ms Hoinville-Bartram’s remains were found in Sensible Creek under a bridge on the Flinders Highway, about 80km west of Charters Towers.
She had been twice shot in the head with a .22-calibre rifle.
No trace of Ms Cunningham has been found.
A reward of $250,000 will be offered for information leading to the conviction of the persons responsible.
CATHERINE GRAHAM
Catherine Graham was reported a missing person on July 30, 1975.
Her body was found at Oak Valley, about 18km from Townsville, on the Flinders Highway on August 1, 1975.
She had been repeatedly bashed about the head with a heavy stone.
A $250,000 reward is on offer for information leading to an arrest of the person responsible for Ms Graham’s murder.
PEGGY JACOBS
Peggy Jacobs was found dead on Abbott St, Oonoonba, on January 15, 2009.
Police investigations concluded Ms Jacobs was struck by a vehicle, causing her to fall backwards and hit her head on the road.
Despite a major campaign, no person or vehicle has been identified as being responsible for the hit-and-run fatality.
A $50,000 reward is on offer for the conviction of the motorist.
ANTHONY (TONY) JONES
Perth man Anthony Jones was travelling in Queensland in 1982.
He hitchhiked, meeting his brother on occasion, and visited Brisbane, Mackay and Airlie Beach.
Mr Jones left Townsville on October 28, 1982, for Cairns having arranged to meet his brother in Mount Isa a week later.
He was back in Townsville on November 3, 1982, when he phoned home to Perth and mentioned his intention of travelling to Mount Isa.
He has not been seen or heard from since, and is suspected to have been murdered.
A $250,000 reward is on offer for information leading to the person responsible for Mr Jones’s disappearance.
JUDITH AND SUSAN MACKAY
A $50,000 reward remains on offer for crucial information about the murder of Townsville schoolgirls Judith and Susan Mackay, who were killed on August 26, 1970.
The pair left their Aitkenvale home to go to school, but never arrived.
Both girls were sexually a s s a u l t e d. They were found stabbed and strangled at Antil Plains, about 25km south of Townsville, two days later.
Arthur Brown was charged with their murder but never prosecuted. He died in 2002.
HERBERT MURRAY
Police are still chasing leads to the shooting death of Herbert Murray.
Mr Murray was found at his residence Pennsfield Station, East Euri Creek Rd near Bowen on Thursday, November 13, 1997.
A post-mortem revealed a single gunshot wound to the head from a .22-calibre firearm was the cause of his death.
A Holden Commodore that belonged to Mr Murray was taken and later found in Townsville.
A $250,000 reward will be offered for information that leads to the conviction of the person responsible for Mr Murray’s death.
RACHEL ANTONIO
A $250,000 reward will be given to the person who provides any information leading to the recovery of Rachel Antonio’s remains.
On the evening of April 25, 1998, Rachel was driven by her mother Cheryl to the Summer Garden cinema on the corner of Beach Ave and Murroona St, Queens Beach.
With the movie not starting under 7pm, Rachel walked to the end of Beach Ave about 200m from the cinema. She was last seen on Queens Beach Esplanade.
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