Dear Rachelle investigation: New witness bombshell in grisly unsolved murder

A new witness has revealed chilling details that could help unlock the answer to one of Australia’s most perplexing cold cases. Watch the video and listen to the podcast season finale.

EXCLUSIVE

Evidence from a new witness has thrown open the possibility that the killer of Rachelle Childs didn’t act alone, as the blockbuster podcast investigation into her cold case murder releases the final episode of season one.

The man says he saw Rachelle Childs’ car being driven through Gerringong, south of Sydney, less than an hour before her burning body was found in Gerroa a few kilometres to the south.

And Matt Wilson, who was working the graveyard shift at the newsagency, in Gerringong, describes a second car closely trailing the vehicle in the otherwise deserted street.

His revelation, which he reported to police at the time, makes it possible that more than one person was involved in Rachelle’s death and/or the disposal of her remains.

Murdered Bargo woman Rachelle Childs’ burning body was found at Gerroa on June 8, 2001.

The final nine hours of Rachelle’s life have stumped investigators for decades.

She was 23, with no known enemies or poor habits, when she disappeared after leaving work at Camden Holden after 5pm on June 7, 2001.

About eight hours later, around 1.30am on June 8, 2001, Mr Wilson heard the approach of a car in the main street of Gerringong, about 100km from Rachelle’s home in Bargo.

Mr Wilson recalled that it was a Thursday night and had been raining.

Few cars drive through the seaside town late at night.

Matthew Wilson pictured outside what used to be the news agency he was working in when he heard and saw what he believes was Rachelle’s car driving down Fern Street in the early hours of the morning. Picture: Julian Andrews

“So I decided to get up, have a good look at the (newsagency) door,” Mr Wilson said.

“I noticed two cars were coming down the street,” he said.

“The first car was a dark blue Commodore, tinted windows, mag wheels, and it had black plates.”

LISTEN TO THE LATEST DEAR RACHELLE PODCAST EPISODES BELOW:

Rachelle drove a dark blue 1978 Holden Commodore (VB) with white lettering/numerals on black number plates.

It was distinctive for its age and “GV2000” number plate.

Number plates off Rachelle Childs’ VH Commodore.

Mr Wilson recalled that the driver appeared to be male.

He stepped back from the newsagency door when he saw the second car following the first.

He identified the second car as a sedan, possibly red or yellow in colour.

A few days later, he was eating dinner when saw Rachelle’s car on the TV news.

“I just went to my mum and dad, that’s the car that I’ve seen come through Gerringong,” he said.

Mr Wilson went to Warilla police station to report his sighting.

Notes were taken by a police officer, but Mr Wilson was never asked to make a formal statement or to give evidence to the coronial inquest into Rachelle’s death, which started in 2006.

He has felt “haunted” by his information ever since.

Ex detective and cold case specialist Damian Loone and Rachelle Childs’ sister Kristy talk about the case while looking at Rachelle's Commodore. Picture: Jeff Darmanin

Ex-detective Damian Loone, who famously helped crack the Teacher’s Pet case, described Mr Wilson’s account as “compelling” and “credible”.

Police are enhancing sets of CCTV footage from a Nowra service station and the Bargo train station from the night of Rachelle’s death.

They are to be viewed by Rachelle’s family in the hope that Rachelle or her car can be identified in the images.

LISTEN TO EARLIER DEAR RACHELLE PODCAST EPISODES BELOW:

Mr Wilson’s sighting potentially broadens the CCTV investigation to account for two cars and a two-person theory.

“This is so important to these cold cases where this evidence comes to light that may have been mislaid or misplaced during the initial investigation,” Mr Loone said.

Rachelle’s car was found in the Bargo Hotel carpark after her body was discovered.

Witness Matt Wilson says he saw Rachelle Childs’ VH Commodore being driven on the main street of Gerringong, less than an hour before her burning remains were found in bushland in Gerroa.

Its movements during Rachelle’s missing hours have vexed investigators, who received possible sightings of the car near Gerroa in the hours before Rachelle’s remains were found.

The position of the seat and club lock on the steering wheel suggested that someone other than her had last driven her car.

Mr Loone said that the police officer’s notes of Mr Wilson’s report would have been archived and should still be in police storage.

Of Mr Wilson’s sighting, he said: “It has stayed in his mind because he saw something on that night … and he said that’s the car I saw.”

FBI-trained criminal profiler Kris Illingsworth suspects that more than one person was involved.

“Does he deal with it all on his own or does he dial a friend?” she told the Dear Rachelle podcast.

“Does he go somewhere and get some help? I think it’s more likely he got some help.”

Of Rachelle’s final resting place, in bushland, she said: “There’s some very strong indicators that there was someone there who had extensive knowledge about forensic awareness.”

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.

Originally published as Dear Rachelle investigation: New witness bombshell in grisly unsolved murder