New investigation into mystery of missing Bridport man Vincent Edward Down

A Tasmanian coroner has declared a missing Bridport man dead more than 55 years after his disappearance, likely at the hand of his wife’s jilted lover.

A Tasmanian coroner has declared a missing Bridport man dead more than 55 years after his disappearance, likely at the hand of his wife’s jilted lover. Picture: istock

A Tasmanian coroner has declared a missing Bridport man dead more than 55 years after his disappearance, likely at the hand of his wife’s jilted lover.

Vincent Edward Down, 43, vanished on August 7, 1969, after visiting his neighbour, local panel beater Alvin Charles Feuerhammer.

The inquest, held at Scottsdale by Coroner Simon Cooper, uncovered that Mr Down’s wife, Doreen Francis Down, was having an affair with Mr Feuerhammer.

On the day of Mr Down’s disappearance, Mrs Down left the family home to play badminton at Nabowla at 7pm.

Mrs Down returned at 12.45am on August 8, 1969, and found her husband was not there.

During an initial investigation, Mr Feuerhammer, 25, told police that he had asked Mr Down to come to his home to repair a TV cabinet that had a bullet hole in it as Mr Down had previously worked as a cabinet maker.

Mr Feuerhammer said he did not see Mr Down again after he left his home a little later that evening, even though he had not repaired the cabinet and had his tools with him.

Mrs Down told investigators that at about 3.00am, she telephoned Mr Feuerhammer and asked if he had seen Mr Down. Mr Feuerhammer told her that he had last seen Mr Down at 8.20pm when he left after repairing his TV cabinet.

Mr Cooper said that Mrs Down called Mr Feuerhammer back at 4.00am and asked him directly if he had anything to do with her husband’s disappearance before reporting him as missing to Bridport Police at 5.50am.

The investigation found that Mrs Down had ended the affair with Mr Feuerhammer shortly before her husband’s disappearance.

“Mrs Down told police that following her ending the relation with Mr Feuerhammer, he said something to the effect that he would ‘cause her as much pain as she had caused him’,” Mr Cooper said.

Mr Cooper said he is satisfied from the inquest that Mr Down died on or about August 7, 1969.

“The most likely explanation for his death is that he was shot by Alvin Charles Feuerhammer, who then removed his body in his ute and disposed of it somewhere in the general vicinity of Bridport or Scottsdale,” he said.

“Investigations occurred in 2022 at my direction, primarily directed to endeavouring to identify a potential gravesite. Unfortunately, no further relevant material has come to light as a result of those investigations.”

Mr Cooper said he was not required to make any recommendations due to the circumstances of Mr Down’s death.

“Mr Feuerhammer died on September 2, 1994, in Bundaberg, Queensland, as a result of suicide from a self-inflicted gunshot wound with a .22 rifle. His suicide occurred in the aftermath of his having murdered his wife with the same rifle,” he said.

“I convey my sincere condolences to the family and loved ones of Vincent Edward Down.”