Family’s fresh hope over missing mum Lorrin Whitehead as search for body called off
Detectives have called off a fresh search west of Geelong in their pursuit of evidence over the possible slaying of Lorrin Whitehead, as her family reveals a crucial update on the grim cold case.
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Detectives have called off a fresh search west of Geelong in their pursuit of evidence over the possible slaying of a Bannockburn woman, as her family reveals a coroner will finally investigate the shocking cold case.
Specialist police, a search and rescue team and SES members spent most of last Wednesday scouring another area of bushland in Shelford in relation to the disappearance of Lorrin Whitehead, who vanished in 2013.
The visible operation, which began on January 7 and looked at a number of sites and at least one property, has now concluded with no remains or concrete evidence found.
This is despite valuable intelligence being brought to light in recent months from members of the public on the back of dogged police work and heightened media attention on the almost 12-year mystery.
The new search was launched on the back of “credible information” Ms Whitehead’s remains may have been in an area near Shelford, a town of about 300 people in Golden Plains.
It was the second search for bones in less than two months.
It comes as a number of new lines of inquiry are set to be probed in the coming weeks and months.
Ms Whitehead’s daughter, Amelia Grozdanovski, said her family was grateful for the renewed search and attention on her disappearance, and had been buoyed by confirmation a Victorian coroner will look into her likely death even in the absence of her body.
Her mum would have turned 54 on Sunday.
“Our understanding is it will be a simultaneous (coronial) investigation with the police, so we are very happy about this” she said.
“We know the coroner process can be very lengthy but we are just so thankful that the resources will be allocated for mum and a case number has been logged.
“Having that expert and specialist set of eyes on the case that can challenge and question things is just so valuable.
“We know not every missing person gets the same.”
A special investigation team, led by the Moorabool Crime Investigation Unit, has been throwing extensive resources at the case ahead of a likely coronial inquest.
“We’ve got a responsibility to Lorrin, her five children, her elderly parents, and the tight-knit community of Bannockburn to solve this investigation,” Detective Sergeant Steven Murphy said.
Many theories have emerged in the decade since her vanishing, with the two most probable involving foul play or self-harm.
She was last seen on February 8, 2013.
Ms Grozdanovski said her family had “an open mind on what could have happened” and want every avenue pushed.
“Police have been receiving lots of fresh information and have been doing a terrific job, we just need the clicks and clacks to fall into place,” she said.
“They are desperate for closure just as much as us.”
Her mum was seen withdrawing cash from an ATM in Bannockburn before security footage showed her purchasing a bottle of water, a Hallmark card and a pen from Safeway at 4.42pm the day she went missing.
Her bank account has remained untouched since.
The last confirmed sighting was shortly after that transaction, witha witness telling police she was seen in the driver’s seat of a red 4WD.
Detectives are still trying to locate the vehicle.
“We need information on that red four wheel drive,” Ms Grozdanovski said.
She encouraged anyone who had any interaction with Ms Whitehead in the year before she disappeared to come forward.
“It could be the difference between finding or not finding her and solving this,” she said.
“We know the police are investigating every avenue and we are just so thankful to the public who have been coming forward with information.
“Police are getting more leads from the recent media and new details are coming to light which have never been known.”
One Bannockburn resident, who has been following the recent searches closely, called the baffling mystery “the Samantha Murphy of a decade ago”.
“Lorrin was very well liked,” she said.
“It was such a shocking story at the time.”
Ballarat mum Samantha Murphy has been missing since February 4, 2024, with Patrick Stephenson, 23, charged with her murder.
Her body has not been found.
Do you know more? mark.murray@news.com.au
Anyone with information on Lorrin’s disappearance can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or visit the website www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
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