‘She was cruelly murdered’: Joy Membrey fighting for justice for her daughter Elisabeth

A grief-stricken mother has faced off with the state’s top coroner as she calls for answers over what happened to her daughter who disappeared from her Ringwood home 31 years ago.

Elisabeth Membrey was just 22 when she disappeared on December 7, 1994.

For more than 31 years, Joy Membrey has fought for justice for her daughter.

The grief-stricken 85-year-old’s sheer determination for answers as to what happened to her “sweet” Elisabeth shone through when she faced off with the state’s top coroner on Wednesday.

“I am not happy,” Mrs Membrey told Judge John Cain after he ruled he could not find the police’s latest suspect, Andrew Crump, responsible for her daughter’s death.

Elisabeth Membrey’s case remains unsolved.

“I want answers after 30 long years. I want justice for Elisabeth.”

Elisabeth Joy Membrey was just 22 when she disappeared from her Ringwood unit on December 7, 1994.

Blood stains were found throughout the house, and a doona was missing, leaving police to believe she was killed in the hallway and then wrapped in the doona to be dumped in bushland.

Her remains have never been found.

Joy Membrey says 'I want answers after 30 long years. I want justice for Elisabeth'. Picture: Rebekah Cavanagh

Judge Cain had reopened the coronial case in February 2023 after Victoria Police brought to him new and fresh evidence that Mr Crump, the brother of Elisabeth’s housemate at the time, was likely responsible.

In December 2018, his DNA, which was found on a national database after he was convicted and jailed for raping a woman in Queensland, were matched to samples taken from the crime scene and Elisabeth’s car.

Mr Crump had left Victoria for Queensland soon after Elisabeth’s disappearance.

The breakthrough came after another man, Shane Bond, had already stood trial for her murder, but was acquitted in April 2012.

The OPP looked at the police’s brief of evidence against Mr Crump and deemed there was no prospects of a conviction. He was never charged.

Judge Cain told Mrs Membrey there was “much evidence” that justifies the police belief that Mr Crump contributed to Elisabeth’s death.

But the evidence “falls just short” of the balance of probabilities standard of proof he is guided by law by to make his determination.

“There’s many gaps in the evidence – there are many inconsistencies,” Judge Cain said.

She asked the coroner: “What evidence would you want to prove that he is the killer?”

“I hear what you are saying but I can’t investigate it further,” Judge Cain said.

“Well, who can?” she quickly fired back.

The coroner’s ruling was like deja vu for Mrs Membrey after the initial inquest in August 2000 was also not able to determine who was responsible for Elisabeth’s death.

She told Judge Cain she had “been through a lot”.

“It’s been an absolute living nightmare,” she said.

“She was just 22 and a half years old when she was cruelly murdered.

“I get extremely angry that I and my family have had what is called unresolved grieving.”

Outside the Coroner’s Court, Mrs Membrey remained staunch and said she would never give up in her bid for closure.

Her and her husband, Roger, have dedicated their lives to finding out what happened to their daughter but he died, aged 84, without answers in February 2023.

Originally published as ‘She was cruelly murdered’: Joy Membrey fighting for justice for her daughter Elisabeth