Former NSW detective Damian Loone believes Rachelle Childs’ murder is ‘solvable’

The high-profile detective who helped jail Chris Dawson through the Teacher’s Pet investigation is now looking into the murder of Rachelle Childs – and believes it’s “solvable”.

Exclusive: The high-profile detective who helped jail a wife killer through the groundbreaking Teacher’s Pet investigation, says Rachelle Childs’ murder is solvable.

Damian Loone, who dedicated 18 years to convicting Chris Dawson of killing his wife Lynette, has joined the hunt for Rachelle’s killer, 24 years on.

The former NSW detective said her story shared so many similarities to Lynette Simms (Dawson).

Both were women in the prime of their lives.

Both had loving families and responsible jobs. Neither women were big risk takers.

Watch the video of the Dear Rachelle investigation above.

In June 2001, Rachelle Childs’ burning body was found at Gerroa, on NSW’s south coast. Former detective Damian Loone says her murder is solvable.

Former detective and cold case specialist Damian Loone says the murder of Rachelle Childs is solvable. Picture: Jeff Darmanin

And both cases suffered major challenges in their initial investigations.

“The most important part of what happened to Rachelle is that this matter is solvable,” he says.

“I can’t promise you that it will get that far. But I tell you what, I’ll have a bloody good go at it.”

Loone, who is working with True Crime Australia’s Dear Rachelle cold case investigation team, has inspected the site where Rachelle’s body was found in 2001, met with the Childs family, and studied the case’s voluminous brief of evidence.

LISTEN TO EPISODES 1 AND 2 OF THE PODCAST BELOW:

He has considered all persons of interest in the case. Loone believes that Rachelle knew and trusted her killer, who was sexually-motivated to commit such evil.

Rachelle’s sister Kristy Childs calls herself a “long-time fan” of Loone.

Rachelle Childs (right), with her sister Kristy Childs.

He admires the Childs family’s dignified stoicism in the absence of answers, and bows to the family’s unflinching fight for justice over the past 24 years.

“The offender is in this brief (of evidence) somewhere,” he says.

“The offender is still alive.”

Damian Loone at the site of Rachelle Childs’ murder in Gerroa.

Former Detective Sergeant Damian Loone at the Rocks Police Station, in Sydney.

Loone, who retired as a sergeant after 35 years in the force and is now deputy mayor of Ballina Shire Council, began Lyn’s investigation in the same way to Rachelle’s, starting with a single piece of paper, more than a decade after she disappeared.

He felt he could not let down Lyn’s family, and promised them he would “keep going and going” even after two coronial inquests failed to lead to charges being laid.

Lyn’s husband Chris Dawson was convicted of her 1982 murder in 2022.

Loone stood on the court steps with her family to address the media in what he called a “team effort”.

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].

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Originally published as Former NSW detective Damian Loone believes Rachelle Childs’ murder is ‘solvable’