Australia Australia - Kellie Carmichael, 24, Blue Mountains, 26 April 2001

[December]

I don't know one way or another about the notes, but I do think people who commit suicide want to be found. Maybe there is the very rare person who doesn't want to be, but I think most people do.

 

[FigTree]

I just wanted to add a post here for Belinda Peisley - who we also discussed earlier in the thread as another missing person from Katoomba -
This article was posted 26th September, 2013 ...

Sydney Morning Herald. Read more:
No evidence to lay charges over mother's death

Much has been said and written about the last weeks and months of Belinda Peisley's life - the heroin addiction, the bursts of anger and despair, the final, sudden end almost certainly brought by an act of violence.
But with the conclusion of the inquest into the 19-year-old, a sadder and more nuanced story has emerged.
The mother of two was last seen leaving Katoomba hospital, west of Sydney, on September 26, 1998. For more than 13 years police were at a loss to explain what happened until investigators uncovered information suggesting the young woman may have been the victim of foul play, a discovery that led to the opening of a coronial inquest into her death.
----
'Those people'' were the group of drug-addicted, damaged youths, Peisley fell in with after moving to the Blue Mountains.
Among them were the two principal persons of interest during the inquest - Jeremy Douglas and Saxon Holdforth.
-----

Life lost: Belinda Peisley. Photo: SMH

The submission by counsel assisting the inquest that there is insufficient evidence to lay charges is a blow to the family, but they remain hopeful.
''Always there's hope,'' Peisley's father, Mark Wearne, said.

.

 

[SouthAussie]

I just wanted to add a post here for Belinda Peisley - who we also discussed earlier in the thread as another missing person from Katoomba -
This article was posted 26th September, 2013 ...

Sydney Morning Herald. Read more:
No evidence to lay charges over mother's death

Much has been said and written about the last weeks and months of Belinda Peisley's life - the heroin addiction, the bursts of anger and despair, the final, sudden end almost certainly brought by an act of violence.
But with the conclusion of the inquest into the 19-year-old, a sadder and more nuanced story has emerged.
The mother of two was last seen leaving Katoomba hospital, west of Sydney, on September 26, 1998. For more than 13 years police were at a loss to explain what happened until investigators uncovered information suggesting the young woman may have been the victim of foul play, a discovery that led to the opening of a coronial inquest into her death.
----
'Those people'' were the group of drug-addicted, damaged youths, Peisley fell in with after moving to the Blue Mountains.
Among them were the two principal persons of interest during the inquest - Jeremy Douglas and Saxon Holdforth.
-----

The submission by counsel assisting the inquest that there is insufficient evidence to lay charges is a blow to the family, but they remain hopeful.
''Always there's hope,'' Peisley's father, Mark Wearne, said.

.

Very sad .. for Belinda's sons and family ... sounds as though someone(s) has just got away scot-free with her murder.

 

[FigTree]

Very sad .. for Belinda's sons and family ... sounds as though someone(s) has just got away scot-free with her murder.

Yes, it does, doesn't it I hope one day someone who knows what happened will say something that the Courts can get substantial evidence from. Something will come out - it always does - and then hopefully justice for Belinda and Peace for her family.

Also there is now a thread for Belinda Peisley
CLICK HERE

.

 

[antechinusRAWR]

Re the "string" of linked crimes, Lithgow's not far either, you go through Lithgow & the Blue Mountains if you're travelling from Sydney/the coast out to Bathurst or Mudgee/Gulgong in the Central West/Far West of NSW.

http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/513099/20131011/unsolved-murder-australia-reward-women.htm

Lithgow, NSW Maureen McLaughlin:

It is believed that 23 year old Maureen was last seen at a hotel on Main Street at Lithgow on March 31, 1992. She had previously attended an RSL club on Lurline Street at Katoomba on 30 March, where she made three separate ATM withdrawals.

Her body was discovered in a shallow grave off State Mine Gully Road, with a number of injuries to the head and body. The police are offering $200,000 for any information regarding the unsolved murder.

(I believe this ^^ is the same area as the huge State Mine bushfire of Oct2013)

Gulgong NSW, Michelle Bright:

Michelle was dropped off by a friend near Herbert Street, Gulgong after a birthday party on Feb 27, 1999. Three days later her semi naked body was found near Barney's Reef road. She was sexually assaulted before her murder.

Police have announced a reward of $500,000 for any information regarding the crime against the 17 year old. The unsolved murder has brought great amount of grief to the family and shocked the small town of Gulgong.

Lithgow's much bigger than Gulgong. It's on the train line, trucking routes & it's a tourist coach stop off. It was originally a mining town & has always had a lot of industry & people just travelling through.

Gulgong's tiny & quite some distance from Mudgee, the closest "large" country town. The 19th century bush poet, Henry Lawson was born near Gulgong & until Australia switched to polymer notes he & Gulgong appeared on one side of our $10 for decades. You don't end up in Gulgong by accident & for that reason it's always been considered more likely Michelle was murdered by a local, but truth is, they get a lot more visitor traffic than similar towns because of it's fame as "The $10 Town"(this I can personally attest to, having been forcibly taken on an hours long family "outing"to Gulgong in the late 80's)

 

[FigTree]

Re the "string" of linked crimes, Lithgow's not far either, you go through Lithgow & the Blue Mountains if you're travelling from Sydney/the coast out to Bathurst or Mudgee/Gulgong in the Central West/Far West of NSW.
http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/513099/20131011/unsolved-murder-australia-reward-women.htm
(I believe this ^^ is the same area as the huge State Mine bushfire of Oct2013)

Lithgow's much bigger than Gulgong. It's on the train line, trucking routes & it's a tourist coach stop off. It was originally a mining town & has always had a lot of industry & people just travelling through.

Hi antechinusRAWR
I know Gulgong and the area - very quiet, and fluctuating with the areas employment and industry.

There is a page for Maureen McLaughlin at NSW Police:
NSW Police - Maureen McLaughan
$200,000 REWARD FOR INFORMATION INTO THE UNSOLVED HOMICIDE OF MAUREEN MCLAUGHLIN
"The slightest piece of information could help detectives put the puzzle together to solve this case, so I'd encourage anyone with information, no matter how small to come forward," Minister Gallacher said.
-----
Her father reported her missing to Katoomba Police on 3 April, 1992

There is not a thread for Maureen that I can find. I will start one for her.
Thanks for highlighting her case.


There is a Websleuths Thread for Michelle Bright also ...
Another case which needs someone to come forward to give any information they can.

Michelle Bright - Websleuths Thread

and Michelles NSW Police Page:
Michelle Bright
Reward of $500,000 to solve the murder of Michelle Bright
"This reward is the highest reward on offer in NSW, equal only to the $500,000 reward offered in 1996 in relation to the Ivan Milat backpacker murders," he said.
"Michelle was last seen by a friend who dropped her off in Herbert Street, Gulgong following a friend's 15th birthday party on February 27, 1999.

 

[enzeder]

:bump:

 

[Karmic star]

Hi I was wondering how to find a missing person by picture and age and time went missing.i don't have her name. These ladies that were found, but now are cold cases were they found at gulgong or zig zag railway side of Lithgow?

 

[sleepinoz]

Hi Karmic Star - Welcome

For missing persons by age and time you can start here at Australian Missing Persons Register.

http://www.australianmissingpersonsregister.com/

or Her FB = https://www.facebook.com/austmissingpersons?ref=ts&fref=ts

The AFP site = http://www.missingpersons.gov.au/

To find more information on the above ladies you may have to read their individual cases.

 

[folieadeuxnola]

Rewards on offer for three unsolved Blue Mountains cases

Kellie Ann Carmichael, then 24, was last seen staying in a Katoomba hostel on April 29, 2001.

At the time Kellie left, she told staff she would be back later that day to collect her belongings. “Tragically, that was the last time she was seen alive,” former police minister Michael Daley said.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Human bones found in Bedford Creek, Blue Mountains
June 7th 2018

 

[wrestlingpigs]

Bones found in Katoomba have been confirmed as Kellie’s Bones confirmed as Kellie Carmichaels

It is behind a paywall I can’t get to though - hopefully someone else can post the full article

 

[TootsieFootsie]

DBM

 

[CooperDyl]

The remains were found on the 24th April by an abseiler as part of an unrelated search.

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/remains-of-missing-backpacker-kellie-ann-carmichael-found-in-blue-mountains-after-23year-wait/news-story/b67327fc79f528d683d6e55e1b201159?amp

Can’t access the link as not a subscriber - but as remains found by an abseiler is it safe to assume she was victim to a fall?
RIP Kellie Carmichael.

 

[wrestlingpigs]

Can’t access the link as not a subscriber - but as remains found by an abseiler is it safe to assume she was victim to a fall?
RIP Kellie Carmichael.

I’d say so. Early on there was a strong suspicion of suicide I remember, so that remains a possibility

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Yes I removed my post and have been trying to find one not behind a paywall, no luck so far.

It could be just a terrible accident, it has happened before in that area.

Condolences to her family.

 

[Puggo]

Free ABC article:

Remains found in Blue Mountains confirmed to be woman who went missing 23 years ago

Victorian woman Kellie Ann Carmichael went missing after leaving a hostel in the Blue Mountains in 2001. Her remains have been found in bushland near Katoomba, with an investigation underway.

www.abc.net.au

Hopefully there are some answers for her loved ones.

 

[lolz]

I’d say so. Early on there was a strong suspicion of suicide I remember, so that remains a possibility

Could be suicide but sounds more like foul play or some sort of accident. She left her personal belongings at the hotel and said she would be back to pick them up later that day. You would not leave items like that, youd want to pick them up asap. They probably suspected suicide due to her having schizophrenia/mental health issues. Her parents didnt even believe that theory, and now her remains have been found, it does not sound like suicide.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Police discovered the woman's remains in bushland near Katoomba in April during an unrelated police operation, and more remains were found there in May, according to ABC and NewsCorp reports on Monday.

"The human remains initially located and seized have now been formally identified as those of missing person Kellie Ann Carmichael, and her family have now been notified," police said.

An investigation is being conducted by the Unsolved Homicide Team, and a brief of evidence is being prepared for the coroner.

Personal items Carmichael took with her to the area have previously been found, but human remains had not been located until now.

Police initially probed the possibility she took her own life, in part because she was suffering from schizophrenia, with the homicide squad first launching an investigation in 2004.

In 2011, a $200,000 reward was issued for information related to the case after a 2009 coronial inquest ruled Ms Carmichael had died but was unable to shed light on a cause or circumstances.

Remains of missing woman found 23 years on

Kellie Ann Carmichael was last seen checking out of a NSW hostel on April 29, 2001, in a cold case that baffled investigators.

www.1news.co.nz

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Family of backpacker found dead after 23-years break their silence

Kellie Ann Carmichael was 24 when she checked out of a hostel in Katoomba, in Sydney 's west, on April 29, 2001.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Family of backpacker found dead after 23-year mystery break their silence - and dismiss key theory about how she died​

Ms Carmichael's parents, who live in Geelong, have always believed their daughter may have been murdered.

They were were told of the find by officers from the Unsolved Homicide Team.

Her mother, Margaret Carmichael, said their daughter would never have committed suicide.