‘It should be solved’: Retired detective hopes new line of inquiry solves Cafasso murder

The murder of Victoria Cafasso has always haunted retired detective Bob Coad, one of the first responders. Now, with a fresh line of inquiry three decades on, he hopes to see the case solved in his lifetime.

Retired detective Bob Coad was one of the first detectives who attended the devastating crime scene of Victoria Cafasso’s death.

The murder has always haunted him – and he’s always believed that the case is solvable.

Now nearly 75, the decorated former detective – one of Tasmania’s most senior during the 1990s – hopes the man responsible is put behind bars before he himself dies.

Hearing about a breakthrough in Ms Cafasso’s case on Friday – with a new person of interest identified and a Subaru station wagon possibly being an evidentiary link – Mr Coad said it was time to see the truth at last.

“It bloody should be, it should be solved,” he said.

“It was an absolute cruel, bloody sickening death, with the frenzied violence.”

Mr Coad has previously bemoaned the fact that Tasmania’s cold case unit was shut down in 2011 amid budget cuts, saying cases like Ms Cafasso’s needed a dedicated task force.

“It’s got to be a dedicated commitment,” he said.

“It would be lovely to see it solved and it would be lovely to see some truth.”

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He also said he had a strong hunch as to who Ms Cafasso’s killer could be.

“I better write the murderer’s name on a piece of paper and put it in an envelope and mark it confidential, to be opened in case I happen to cark it.”

Victoria Cafasso. Picture: Tasmania Police

Mr Coad said the person of interest described on Friday – a young, tanned, blond man in his 20s with the appearance of a surfer – might be the same person he’d been aware of during the 1990s.

“I’d like to get access to the file to see what sort of vehicles that certain person had,” he said.

Break O’Day Mayor Mick Tucker said the murder of Ms Cafasso was a “haunting memory” for the East Coast community.

Break O' Day Mayor Mick Tucker. Picture: Luke Bowden

He encouraged anyone who remembered seeing a young man running on the beach on the day of Ms Cafasso’s murder, or recalled seeing a light-coloured station wagon, to come forward.

“It would be a revelation of great significance if somebody could close that missing link and bring closure to this case and get the perpetrator behind bars, where they deserve to be,” Mr Tucker said.

“I really, really hope that the perpetrator of the heinous crime can be brought to justice.”

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact police on 131 444, Crime Stoppers anonymously on 1800 333 000, or online at crimestopperstas.com.au