True Crime Collection

Bowraville Murders

The Bowraville Murders is the name given to 3 deaths that occurred over 5 months from September 1990 to February 1991 in Bowraville, New South Wales, Australia.

The first victim, 16 year old Colleen Walker of Sawtell, New South Wales, was in the rural timber town of Bowraville visiting relatives. She was last seen alive on 13th September 1990, walking away from a party in the Aboriginal community of The Mission. The following day, Colleen's family reported to the police that she was missing. Despite the family believing something terrible had happened, the missing person's report was not taken seriously by local police; no search parties were formed and no formal action was taken. Colleen's body has not been found, although articles of her clothing were later found weighed down by rocks in the Nambucca River. 

On 4th October 1990, Colleen's cousin, 4 year old Evelyn Greenup, disappeared after a party at her grandmother's house. She was last seen by her mother as she was put to bed sometime during the night, but was gone by the next morning. Evelyn's grandmother later recalled hearing her cry out in the night but did not think much of it at the time. On 27th April 1991, Evelyn's skeletal remains were found in bushland near Congarinni Road. An autopsy could not conclusively determine the cause of death, but noted that a skull injury was "consistent with a forceful penetration by a sharp instrument".

On 31st January 1991, 16 year old Clinton Speedy-Duroux went missing after a party at The Mission. He was last known to have stayed with his girlfriend in a yellow Viscount caravan used by the suspect on the morning of 1st February. On 18th February, Clinton's remains were discovered in bushland near Congarinni Road about 7 kilometres outside Bowraville. A pillowcase from the caravan was located underneath his clothing. 

Several similarities between the disappearances that led the police to believe that they were committed by the same killer:

- All took place within a short time frame of 5 months

- All 3 victims were aboriginal 

- Autopsies of the 2 bodies that were found, indicate both suffered trauma to the head

- All 3 victims disappeared after parties in the Aboriginal community in Bowraville, in an area known as The Mission

On 8th April 1991, a 25 year old local Bowraville labourer was arrested for the murder of Clinton. He was well known in the Aboriginal community in Bowraville and often attended the parties at The Mission. On 16th October 1991, while out in bail awaiting trial, the man was arrested and charged with the murder of Evelyn. Facing a circumstantial case, he was acquitted of Clinton's murder by an NSW Supreme Court jury on 18th February 1994, the 3rd anniversary of the discovery of Clinton's body. After the acquittal, prosecutors did not proceed with the trial against him for the murder of Evelyn.

In 1997, the New South Wales Police Commissioner Peter Ryan set up Task Force Ancud to continue the investigation into the unsolved murders. On 9th February 2004, the NSW Coroner John Abernethy reopened the inquests into Evelyn's death and the suspected death of Colleen. On 10th September 2004, he recommended the man be charged afresh with Evelyn's murder. As a result, he was charged again, this time for the murder of Evelyn. The trial was conducted in February 2006. The prosecution produced 2 supposed confessions made by him, but he was acquitted on 3rd March 2006. 

The murders, and the fact that no one has been convicted of the crimes, is a source of pain and bitterness in the Aboriginal community in Bowraville. After the acquittal in 2006, the NSW Police Minister raised the reward to $250,000 for information leading to the conviction of the persons responsible for the murders. The previous reward was $100,000, and it was only for information related to the disappearance of Colleen. In 2006, changes were made to double jeopardy legislation in NSW opening the way for retrial of any person acquitted of a life sentence offence if "fresh and compelling evidence" was uncovered. In October 2011, Colleen's family found bones in bushland near Macksville, New South Wales, but forensic testing indicated that they were animal remains.

In 2016, the detective inspector leading the investigation made a submission to the NSW Attorney General calling for a retrial based on new evidence. In the same month, the suspect said that he was not necessarily opposed to a retrial. In May there was a protest march by the families of the victims and their supporters calling for legislative change to the NSW Parliament building.

On 9th February 2017, police laid a murder charge against the suspect, and the NSW Attorney General applied to the Court of Criminal Appeal for a retrial. The Attorney General's application was heard by the Court of Criminal Appeal beginning on 29th November 2017. The Attorney General needed to identify "fresh and compelling" evidence in order to have the man's acquittals quashed and to obtain an order for a retrial. On 13th September 2018, the court dismissed the application, concluding that none of the evidence was "fresh and compelling" and that he therefore could not be retried for the murders. The court concluded that most of the evidence relied upon was not "fresh", because it was available to be tendered or brought forward prior to the earlier trial of the man for the murder of Evelyn.

On 22nd March 2019, the High Court of Australia refused an application by the Attorney General for special leave to appeal against the decision of the Court of Criminal Appeal, concluding that there was no reason to doubt the correctness of that decision. The campaign for a retrial continues.