Found Deceased Australia - Dianne Barrett, 59, Medina/Perth WA, May 2019 *arrest*

[TootsieFootsie]

For some reason the Karen Chetcuti murder was the first thing that came to mind.
Murdered by her neighbour.

 

[Darling136]

I'll add arrest in the title

Another msm
https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/wa...f-missing-woman-dianne-barrett-ng-b881425703z

 

[indicolite22]

I checked the approximate distance from the road along which she was found to her home: 25-35 km. IMO it's not likely that the location has been searched before.

 

[indicolite22]

"The accused and the victim lived in close proximity to each other, however at this time it has not been established whether they were known to each other."

Western Australia Police Force

 

[Pi Thoughts]

A West Australian man is in custody after a joint investigation between WA and Victoria Police into the murder of two women.
Man in custody over women's murders in two states

 

[Morrisa]

A West Australian man is in custody after a joint investigation between WA and Victoria Police into the murder of two women.
Man in custody over women's murders in two states

Holy cr ap! Two murders?

 

[TootsieFootsie]

OMG! Two murders!

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Annette Steward, murder victim - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Annette Steward was found by a friend who let himself into her home in March 1992.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Darren John Chalmers, charged with alleged murder of Dianne Barrett, also a suspect in alleged murder of Annette Steward


https://thewest.com.au/news/perth/d...eged-murder-of-annette-steward-ng-b881425929z


Subscriber only so only got the headline

 

[TootsieFootsie]

A West Australian man is in custody after a joint investigation between WA and Victoria Police into the murder of two women.
Victorian detectives interviewed Darren Chalmers in relation to the cold case murder of Annette Steward in Geelong West in 1992.

Man in custody over women's murders in two states

This one is not behind a paywall and has a video and pics

 

[TheSecondLaw]

The accused lives/lived two doors down from Dianne, as can be seen in the 9news report video. The property was last sold in July '93. He was in the process of moving out when he was apprehended.

I wonder if the accused was already a POI in the Victoria case? In an article dating back to 2007, ( https://www.smh.com.au/national/co-worker-suspect-in-steward-murder-case-20070130-gdpcxq.html ) a former co-worker of the Victoria victim was named as a suspect, who was a different individual than Darren Chalmers.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Yes I was just about to post that someone else was named as the sole person of interest in the Annette Steward case and it wasn't Darren Chalmers.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

I wonder if they had his DNA ?

Just found this
https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&...8c443cb15505&usg=AOvVaw2uT_lAHCKjOM1CpLyfAyla
Rosehill Hotel: Thieves jailed for stealing cigarette vending machine
Feb 7, 2019 - Darren John Chalmers, 52, from Harris Park and Craig John Watts, 35, from ... this week at Parramatta and Penrith local courts respectively.


Behind a paywall

 

[dotr]

The West Australian

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01-06/strangulation-cold-case-link-to-wa-murder-dianne-barrett-probed/11845694
Photo: Dianne Barrett's body was found 30 kilometres from her home. (Supplied: WA Police)


The 52-year-old man was arrested in Wembley yesterday morning, and appeared in a Perth court today.

Victorian police said he had also been interviewed by detectives from the Victoria Police homicide squad in relation to the murder of 28-year-old Annette Steward in Geelong West in 1992.

Photo: Annette Steward was found by a friend who let himself into her home in March 1992. (Supplied: Victoria Police)


Ms Steward's body was found by a friend who let himself into her home and found her dead in a bedroom.

She had been strangled.

Police at the time said Ms Steward worked at a factory in Point Henry, left work and went shopping before returning home.

She had tea with four male friends later in the day, and her body was discovered by the friend the next day.

No charges have been laid yet over the cold case murder, but Victoria Police said they were not looking for anyone else and the investigation were ongoing."

 

[1968]

Hmm there are quite a few unsolved strangulation murders from Geelong and Ballarat areas dating back to the 90’s.

8 Victorian cold case deaths draw $1 million rewards for information - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Nina Caroline Nicholson Sep 91 - Clunes (bashed found at home)
Annette Steward Mar 92 - Geelong (strangled found at home)
Claire Morrison Dec 93 - Bells Beach (Strangled found at beach)
Tracey Howard Nov 98 - Ballarat (strangled at home dumped elsewhere)
Belinda Williams 99 - Buninyong (strangled at home dumped elsewhere)

I am kind of obsessed with serial killers. I know in some of the above the police indicated they have viable suspects but you constantly see cases where serial murderers have gone unnoticed for decades i.e. like The Golden State Killer.

I know so called ‘stranger killings’ are hardest to solve. If police have no viable suspect logically they’ll look at a victims life and focus on say - the ex boyfriend, the estranged husband, the guy stalking her at work, the last guy to see her.

What if the killer is a neighbour - they know the deceased but not well. They can watch their movements. Spy on them. They would not necessarily be considered a suspect. They may not even be on police radar, or have a record. And if they do it might be for unrelated crimes like burglary or car theft.

In the case of Nina Nicholson there was mention a snowdropper was targeting her.

https://www.google.com.au/amp/s/www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3783090/amp/Police-renew-hunt-killer-Victorian-nurse-Nina-Nicholson-offer-1million-reward-25th-anniversary-brutal-murder.html

One imagines the police will check Chalmers previous addresses and areas he’s lived and do their due diligence.

I understand he’s moved about a bit.

IMO guys like this don’t just stop killing.

 

[jaejae]

Here is a video report about the developments in this case:

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[TootsieFootsie]

Sorry off topic but I was wondering if there is a thread here on Australia, remains found.
Thought I came across one awhile ago but it didn't seem to be updated or posted in and now I can't find it.
I wanted to post this latest one on remains found in the Grampians and have come across a potential person for the remains.

https://www.theage.com.au/national/...-report-grisly-discovery-20200107-p53pgz.html
7th January 2020

Vanished in the Grampians: Where is Gerard?
February 22nd 2017

 

[TootsieFootsie]

2 hours ago - Detectives are closer to charging a man over the cold-case alleged murder of Geelong West woman Annette Steward. Victoria Police revealed in January detectives had arrested a 52-year-old Medina man under a joint operation by Victoria Police and Western Australia Police linked to ...

Behind a Paywall, so was just able to get this snippet.

https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&...bef7b0267b0d&usg=AOvVaw20fPeA3S4GzE9Vmved53OX

 

[kelsie]

Category: | Herald Sun

Behind a pay wall but I am glad they are getting closer to justice.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

A 53-year-old-man linked to a cold case homicide investigation in Victoria has admitted murdering a Perth woman whose body was found in bushland eight months after she disappeared from her home in mysterious circumstances.

Chalmers faced Perth's Stirling Gardens Magistrates Court today via video link from Casuarina maximum security prison and pleaded guilty to murdering Ms Barrett on May 12, 2019.

No further details of the murder were revealed.

Chalmers was remanded in custody until January next year, when he is due to face the Supreme Court for sentencing.

His lawyer asked that pre-sentence and psychological reports be prepared on Chalmers for the sentencing judge to consider.

Man questioned over cold case strangulation death pleads guilty to a different murder