Six baffling questions into Rachelle Childs’ murder case

There are several unanswered questions about Rachelle Childs’ death — one of the country’s most perplexing murder mysteries. Listen to the podcast.

Six baffling questions surround the murder of Rachelle Childs.

And most of them stem from her nine unexplained hours – from when she left work on the afternoon of June 7, 2001 to when her burning body was found in bushland the following morning.

Just where did her clothing go? What was the killer’s motive? What car did he drive? Was it hers? And did he in fact leave clues?

The Dear Rachelle investigation into the 23-year-old’s killing, south of Sydney, considers it all.

Where was Rachelle killed?

There’s no conclusive evidence to suggest Rachelle was killed at home in Bargo, in her blue 1978 Holden Commodore, or in Gerroa where her body was set alight. Forensics couldn’t find signs of smoke inhalation in her lungs, which meant she was dead by the time the killer doused her in petrol and burnt her remains.

Her red brick home was fingerprinted by police, but former detectives have now raised questions about whether the house was declared a crime scene or thoroughly investigated at the time.

Six baffling questions surround the murder of Rachelle Childs.

Bargo woman Rachelle Childs’ burning body was found at Gerroa, near Seven Mile Beach National Park.

But there is evidence to suggest she left work in Camden and made it home to Bargo before she was killed.

Her colleague, Fiona, recognised her work clothes on the laundry floor.

The inside lights and TV were still on when Fiona went to the property the day after she disappeared. For photos of Rachelle’s home, visit dearrachelle.com.au.

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What happened to her clothes?

Rachelle was found naked from the waist down, which strongly suggests she was sexually assaulted.

However, the bottom half of her clothing has never been found.

Why was her car stereo missing?

Rachelle had just been gifted a new JVC car CD player by her sister, Kristy Childs. She was paranoid about her car being broken into, so she usually took the stereo faceplate out whenever she left the vehicle to deter thieves.

When her car was found parked out the back of Bargo Hotel on June 9, two days after her murder, the whole stereo was missing.

The interior of Rachelle Childs’ VH Commodore. When her car was found two days after her murder, the whole stereo was missing.

The faceplate was eventually found in Rachelle’s handbag, which was dumped on farmland near Tahmoor, just north of Bargo, but the stereo itself has never been found.

It’s possible the killer took it, but FBI-trained criminal profiler Kris Illingsworth told the Dear Rachelle investigation: “I think it’s probably been stolen while the car’s been parked there for several days and nights.”

However, the car was still locked when they found it. Kristy still feels baffled by this particular aspect of the case.

WATCH THIS DEAR RACHELLE INVESTIGATION VIDEO: A SISTER’S PROMISE, A FATHER’S PAIN

Who parked Rachelle’s car at the Bargo Hotel?

Whoever put Rachelle’s car into the carpark may have left some clues. Kristy said the driver’s seat was reclined too far back for Rachelle to reach the foot pedals, significantly more so than usual, possibly suggesting the killer was taller than her?

He also knew Rachelle well enough to know she used a club lock. But the way he positioned it on the steering wheel was inconsistent with her usual, unique method.

Rachelle Childs’ car was found, parked out the back of the Bargo Hotel, two days after she was murdered.

Kristy said: “She did used to have her seat really far back, but (when the car was found by police) it was really far back, and I remember looking at the car going, and ‘she didn’t park this here’ and ‘there’s something seriously wrong here’.

“That’s when I knew something bad had happened.”

Rachelle also loved her car, she was saving up to paint it red, and she wouldn’t have left it overnight in a public parking lot.

Where did the killer get petrol?

Rachelle wasn’t very good at managing her finances so she rarely had a full tank of petrol.

Her Holden was also an older model, from 1978, which meant it wasn’t fuel efficient and required constant trips to the petrol station.

Bargo to Gerroa is a 200km round trip, which means it’s highly likely at least one stop at a service station was required. Her car took unleaded petrol, the same variety that was found in a jerry can in the boot of her car and used as an accelerant to burn her body. The killer may have siphoned fuel from the car to set her alight, or he may have gone to a petrol station for extra fuel.

What car did the killer drive?

If it was the killer who parked Rachelle’s car at the Bargo Hotel in the early hours of June 8, after dumping her body in Gerroa, how did he get home from Bargo? He may have caught a taxi, walked, called someone to pick him up, or he may have left his own vehicle in the Bargo Hotel vicinity and driven himself home.

For more information about our investigation, visit dearachelle.com.au

If you have any tips or confidential information, please contact investigative journalist Ashlea Hansen at [e-mail].

You can also join our Dear Rachelle podcast Facebook group.