‘They expect, deserve answers’: Remembering Tasmania’s missing people
There are seven long-term missing Tasmanians who are being brought back to the public’s attention as part of National Missing Persons Week. SEE THE CASES >>
Tasmania
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JUDY Sushames has no doubt that her brother David – missing for 16 years – met with foul play.
But she and her 91-year-old mother Margaret are resigned to the fact they may never know what happened to the father of two.
David Sushames was 44 when he was last seen at a family member’s Devonport home on Melbourne Cup day on November 1, 2005. His family said his disappearance was out of character and police also suspect foul play.
“It has been terrible for mum, she didn’t cope well at the time and now she doesn’t say much,” Ms Sushames said.
“It was definitely foul play. David was involved with some pretty terrible people and I wonder what they did to him and what they put him through.”
Ms Sushames is 15 months older than her missing brother and says not knowing what has happened to him is “really hard”.
“We were both very close as kids, probably because we were both adopted.
“My kids thought the world of him, especially my two daughters.
“It is so hard for mum because we’re not really expecting any answers now.”
Mr Sushames, who would have turned 60 in January, is one of seven long-term missing Tasmanians who are being brought to attention as part of National Missing Persons Week which starts on Sunday.
The others are: Craig Taylor missing since 1993, Michael Lenssen – missing since 2019, Nancy Grunwaldt missing since 1993, Robert Mansell, missing since 2015, Gilbert Midson missing since 1964 and Zedric Woolley missing since 2012.
There are currently 168 long-term missing Tasmanians, dating back to the 1950s.
On average about 125 Tasmanians go missing every year with more than 97 per cent found.
Sergeant John Delpero has worked in Tasmania Police’s Missing Persons Unit for three years and sees the grief families experience every day.
He says Missing Persons Week is a time to remember all missing persons and the pain felt by their families and loved ones.
“They expect and deserve answers,” Sgt Delpero said.
“If anybody has any information on any missing person, now is the time to step up and report it to police or Crime Stoppers.
“Their loved ones expect and deserve some kind of closure.”
The Australian Federal Police is highlighting the case of Jason Mazurek who was last seen leaving the Wrest Point Casino at Sandy Bay about 2am on September 15 2002.
One of his sisters, Rebekah Morris said Jason, who would now be 39, was remembered as a doting, thoughtful and protective brother and for “his laugh, his jokes and strong work ethic”.
“I don’t think it gets easier as time goes on, I think in some ways it can actually get harder,” Ms Morris said.
“Now that we’re all a little older and have our own children, the thought of losing a child this way and not having answers as to why is just incomprehensible.
“I can’t imagine what mum has gone through over the years and I think our hearts just break a little more for her as time goes on.”
Heather Donaldson has been close to the family of missing German tourist Nancy Grunwaldt, who was aged 26 when she went missing on a cycling tour on Tasmania’s East Coast in April 1993.
A coroner found in 2004 that she died as a result of foul play and police this year increased the reward for information leading to the conviction of offenders for her suspected murder from $30,000 to $500,000.
Ms Donaldson said Ms Grunwaldt’s younger sister Frauke and her teenaged daughter were due to visit Tasmania last year but abandoned their plans due to the Covid pandemic.
“They were very disappointed their travel plans fell in a heap, they were going to stay a while,” she said.
“I hope for the sake of the family it was a bike accident.”
Sgt Delpero said a missing person case was never closed until the person was located.
Information relating to a missing person can be provided to Tasmania Police on 131 444 or to Crime Stoppers anonymously online at crimestopperstas.com.au or on 1800 333 000.
TASMANIA’S MISSING SEVEN
Craig Taylor
Craig was reported missing from the Coningham area on September 3 1993, when he was nine years old. At the time of his disappearance, Craig and his family were holidaying at Coningham, an area he was familiar with as he had visited on numerous occasions. Craig was of slim build with brown hair. Police conducted full scale searches of the area however Craig was not located. Craig was born in the United Kingdom in 1984. He moved to Tasmania and, at the time of his disappearance lived in Launceston. Craig’s disappearance was reported to the Coroner who in 2014 determined he was deceased but was unable to determine the precise cause of death.
David Sushames
David was reported missing from Devonport in 2005, when he was 44 years old. He was last seen at a family member’s home in Devonport on Melbourne Cup Day November 1, 2005. He has not been seen or heard from since. At the time of his disappearance David was 180cm tall, medium build, brown shoulder length hair, blue eyes, fair complexion and a goatee style beard. David’s disappearance is totally out of character, and foul play is suspected.
Michael Lenssen
Michael was reported missing from the Launceston area in 2019, when he was 48 years old. He was reported missing by his family who live in the Netherlands. He was a Launceston resident, after relocating from Sydney in 2010. Police investigations established that Michael visited a business in the Launceston CBD on March 30, 2020, but there has been no trace of him since. Michael is described as about 180cm tall, solid build with short brown hair. Michael’s disappearance is out of character and concerns are held for his welfare. Investigations surrounding Michael’s disappearance are ongoing.
Nancy Grunwaldt
Nancy was reported missing from North-East Tasmania in April 1993, when she was 26 years old. She had arrived in Tasmania in March 1993, after she departed her hometown in Germany in 1992, travelling to New Zealand then Australia. At the time of her disappearance Nancy had recently hired a red mountain bike from a business in Devonport. She was around 168cm tall, with black hair and she wore glasses. Extensive police searches and investigations were conducted which traced Nancy from Devonport to Launceston to the state’s North-East. The last confirmed sighting of Nancy was on March 12, 1993, about 5km south of Scamander, riding a red mountain bike south on the Tasman Highway. She has not been seen since. Nancy’s disappearance was reported to the Coroner who in 2004 found that she died as a result of foul play. A $500,000 reward is offered for information that leads to the conviction of offender/s regarding Nancy’s suspected murder.
Robert Mansell
Robert was reported missing from Flinders Island on August 8, 2015, when he was 42 years old. Robert was last seen at Salmon Rocks, a popular spot for recreational fishing. Tasmania Police conducted extensive searches for Robert, however he was not located. At the time of his disappearance Robert was 183cm tall, of slim build, had brown hair and small tattoo under his left eye. Robert’s disappearance was reported to the Coroner who in 2020 determined that he died in suspicious circumstances.
Gilbert Midson
Gilbert was reported missing from Hobart on November 4, 1964, when he was 23 years old. On the day he was last seen, Gilbert went to work in Hobart where he was employed as a bus driver. He was 177cm tall, of slim build and had brown hair. Gilbert has not been seen since, and his disappearance was totally out of character. At the time of his disappearance, Gilbert was married with a young family and lived at New Town. Gilbert’s disappearance was recently re-investigated by Tasmania Police and reported to the Coroner.
Zedric Woolley
Zedric was reported missing from the Huon Valley on April 7, 2012, when he was 81 years old. On the day he was last seen, Zedric had lunch with his daughter at a Huonville bakery. He was last seen later that evening driving his blue Hyundai i30 south on the Huon Highway towards Franklin. This is the last confirmed sighting of Zedric, however possible sightings occurred in Huonville on April 8. At the time of his disappearance Zedric was in reasonable health. He was about 175cm tall, of medium build and had grey hair. Tasmania Police and volunteers conducted extensive searches. On April 14, 2012 a family member located Zedric’s car on Watsons Road, Glen Huon. Despite further searches, Zedric was not located. Zedric’s disappearance was reported to the Coroner who in 2019 found that his Hyundai became stuck in soft ground at Watsons Road, Glen Huon, following which he walked away from it and died.
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