Robert Williamson calls for evidence to be retested on 20th anniversary of brother Andrew ‘Wilbur’ Williamson’s brutal Coober Pedy murder

Andrew “Wilbur” Williamson’s brutal murder in the outback mining town of Coober Pedy has remained a mystery for two decades.

For 20 years, Robert Williamson has been left wondering who brutally murdered his younger brother inside his Coober Pedy home.

On November 11, Andrew “Wilbur” Williamson, 41, was bashed to death inside his dugout in the remote opal mining town in a horrific attack so violent it was initially believed he may have been shot.

For two decades, and after pleas for information about Andrew’s murder, police have never charged anyone over his death.

“We really do not know much about what happened,” Mr Williamson told The Advertiser.

“At the time, the damage that was done to Wilbur, we weren’t sure whether he’d been shot.”

“And obviously whoever the perpetrator is has been able to cover his tracks.”

But on the 20th anniversary of his younger brother’s gruesome death, Mr Williamson has made a fresh call for police to re-examine evidence taken from the crime scene in 2003.

“Maybe there are newer methods and technologies,” Mr Williamson said.

Andrew "Wilbur" Williamson's was brutally murdered on November 11, 2003. Picture: Supplied

Andrew "Wilbur" Williamson. Picture: Supplied

“A lot of cases have been solved now based on the fact that there’s better technology.”

It can be revealed that shortly after Andrew’s murder, Major Crime detectives obtained a DNA profile from the opal miner’s dugout but have never been able to match the profile to any suspected murderer.

“We are hopeful with the advances of technology, and it has improved significantly since then, that with renewed testing we may be able to get some kind of result,” Detective Brevet Sergeant Megan Kelly said.

Det Sgt Kelly, who took over Andrew’s case about two years ago, said the DNA obtained in 2003 was retested in 2015 but again was not able to be matched, with police unable to link the sample directly to Andrew’s murder or any persons of interest investigated.

“We haven’t been able to link it to anyone who has come up within the investigation,” she said.

Det Sgt Kelly said police would retest other evidence taken from the dugout known to be linked directly to Andrew’s murder, however it is unclear when the testing could occur.

“We’re always exploring opportunities for improved DNA,” Major Crime Investigation Branch Detective Inspector Mark McEachern said.

“Any sort of cold case after this amount of time is difficult but history has shown that anything is solvable and we have got persons of interest.

“We’re always hopeful that we can still solve it.”

D/I Dugout house on Blacktop Hill Road in Coober Pedy where SA murder victim Andrew Williamson was found 11 Nov 2003.

Police officers at Dugout house on Blacktop Hill Road at Coober Pedy where victim Andrew "Wilbur" Williamson was found dead in 2003.

Andrew, who was terminally ill at the time of his murder, was known to be dealing cannabis in Coober Pedy and police have long believed his death was linked to drugs, money, or both, with up to $20,000 cash and about 30 ounces of gold nuggets in his possession when he died.

Det Sgt Kelly said detectives believed Andrew was likely murdered by one person, or several people, known to him.

Police also believe someone had attempted to break into Andrew’s dugout just two days before his murder, with two custom made pieces of gold jewellery, a ring and a necklace, stolen at the time of his murder.

“That’s another line of inquiry that we’re still investigating,” Det Sgt Kelly said.

Det Sgt Kelly said detectives needed more information from the public to elevate persons of interest, including Coober Pedy locals, to suspects if they were involved in Andrew’s murder.

“The people we have looked at, we haven’t been able to exclude as yet because we just haven’t had enough information to assess their involvement,” she said.

Det Sgt Kelly said police believed locals in Coober Pedy had more information about Andrew’s murder than what had been provided to police.

“They may have been fearful of coming forward,” she said.

Rob Williamson hopes new technology can make a break through in the investigation into his brother’s murder.

A custom made gold ring was stolen from Andrew "Wilbur" Williamson's dugout when he was murdered. Picture: Supplied

“Coober Pedy is quite a close knit community but people who have information may have moved on from the town or feel safer approaching police with something they may know now so we’re certainly appealing to those people as well.”

Mr Williamson got the phone call from another sibling informing him Andrew had been killed while he was about to board a flight to Canberra.

“As I was heading home to get my bags to go to the airport, my brother called me and told me what had happened,” Mr Williamson said.

“My brother just said ‘Look he’s gone’.”

Mr Williamson has only returned to Coober Pedy once since Andrew’s murder to view his brother’s memorial, which stood in the main street of the town for several years before being relocated to the cemetery.

“I don’t know that any of his friends are still there or anyone who knew what went on is still there,” Mr Williamson said.

Mr Williamson said Andrew was associated with several outlaw motorcycle gang members but detectives have ruled out any link between bikies and his murder.

“That’s part of the sad thing about it, he didn’t bother anybody,” Mr Williamson said.

“I don’t think it was payback or anything like that … it may be the fact that whoever robbed him, he may have known so that might be why they bashed him so violently.

“Whoever did it, it would be good if they were caught.

“It would be better for everybody’s sake.

“Not just the fact that we could solve what happened to Wilbur, but take somebody dangerous out.”

Mr Williamson said he would support an increase to the existing $200,000 reward for information leading to a conviction for Andrew’s murder.

“It could help if it was put up,” he said.

“The greater the money, the more risk they’ll take.”

Like police, Mr Williamson hopes fresh evidence in the case would finally bring his family answers after almost two decades without them.

“I hold out hope that it gets solved,” he said.

Originally published as Robert Williamson calls for evidence to be retested on 20th anniversary of brother Andrew ‘Wilbur’ Williamson’s brutal Coober Pedy murder