Australia - Shandee Blackburn, 23, murdered, Mackay, Qld, 9 Feb 2013

[SouthAussie]

CCTV footage from up to 20 per cent of Mackay's taxi fleet has been scoured by police as they close in on Shandee Blackburn's killer.

The Sunday Mail can reveal external street footage and GPS data from cars has been handed to police and drivers have been interviewed, with sightings helping pinpoint the timeframe of the 23-year-old's final moments.

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/...lackburns-killer/story-e6freoof-1226579468649

 

[Scoobysnack]

My gut reaction to this is first, that her killer knew her, somehow - either directly (someone in her life) or indirectly (someone who Shandee didn't know personally but who was familiar with her). Because.. 22 stab wounds. No mention of rape. All so quickly.. And so close to her home, like they were just waiting for her to turn that corner. Was someone upset she was leaving the country with her boyfriend/that she had a boyfriend in the first place? Mad at her about some issue at work? That she left the Gold Coast? Was there a reason her family and best friend were so concerned for her safety there?

22 stab wounds is overkill, a terrible rage. And someone was walking around pre-armed with a weapon.

Ofc, I could be wrong and it might have been sheer crime-of-opportunity for a psychopath or raving meth addict wandering about with a knife, but yeah. Gut says the killer knew her. In one way or another.

Whatever the case, I hope they catch her killer quickly. Poor Shandee, her family must be devastated.

This is my gut feeling as well.... hopefully the killer would have some scratch or defense wounds inflicted by poor Shandee, then again it reads as such a quick attack she may not have even had a chance.
I think if it was a meth addict, they would be extremely paranoid and slip up, if it was a rehab center would there not be councilors/aid workers that would pick up on someone acting "really" different .... not to mention there would have been a lot of blood with such a violent attack .

It's shocking, absolutely shocking that here is another beautiful young girl has had her life taken by some monster.:furious:

 

[Scoobysnack]

A farewell -

http://www.dailymercury.com.au/news/farewell-to-our-shandee/1760402/

 

[SouthAussie]

This is my gut feeling as well.... hopefully the killer would have some scratch or defense wounds inflicted by poor Shandee, then again it reads as such a quick attack she may not have even had a chance.
I think if it was a meth addict, they would be extremely paranoid and slip up, if it was a rehab center would there not be councilors/aid workers that would pick up on someone acting "really" different .... not to mention there would have been a lot of blood with such a violent attack .

It's shocking, absolutely shocking that here is another beautiful young girl has had her life taken by some monster.:furious:

Former homicide detective Bob Munz also believes the killer is not an unknown .....

If Shandee Blackburn's murder is random, the job of police will be that much harder.
Bob munz however believes the statistics don't lie and that shandee's killer isn't a complete stranger.

“I'd be thinking about previous relationships is there a suitor out there that has been discarded that is trying to get back to see her it would appear somebody has known that is the way she walks home.”

http://au.news.yahoo.com/today-tonight/lifestyle/safety/article/-/16169401/killers-on-the-loose/

 

[Curiousasacat]

This case has gone quiet. Hope it's not cold but instead the police are slowly gathering evidence.

 

[alioop]

I am sure you are right Curious. The police would be investigating this hard for sure.

 

[alioop]

THE boss of the state's homicide squad has flown into Mackay to head up the investigation into Shandee Blackburn's murder.

Homicide detective Superintendent Brian Wilkins, who has been involved in several high-profile murder cases including those of Daniel Morcombe and Allison Baden-Clay, arrived in Mackay yesterday morning.

"My role up here today is overviewing the status of the investigation," he said.

Det Sup Wilkins said police did not think the attack on Shandee was random.

http://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/news/homicide-ace-jets-in-for-shandee-overview/1762179/

 

[alioop]

MACKAY'S State Emergency Service volunteers were again assisting police this week with their investigation into Shandee Blackburn's murder.

Deputy local controller Barry Jenkins said the volunteers were busy searching for evidence at the Recycling Centre in Paget on Wednesday.

http://www.whitsundaytimes.com.au/news/ses-volunteers-search-for-blackburn-murder-clues/1765727/

I presume this would be for anything that may have been disposed in a rubbish bin by the killer such as clothing or the murder weapon.

 

[mrs plod]

THE boss of the state's homicide squad has flown into Mackay to head up the investigation into Shandee Blackburn's murder.

Homicide detective Superintendent Brian Wilkins, who has been involved in several high-profile murder cases including those of Daniel Morcombe and Allison Baden-Clay, arrived in Mackay yesterday morning.

"My role up here today is overviewing the status of the investigation," he said.

Det Sup Wilkins said police did not think the attack on Shandee was random.

http://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/news/homicide-ace-jets-in-for-shandee-overview/1762179/

He flew out today after spending 24 hours in Mackay.

 

[Curiousasacat]

Nice to see the updates Ali, thanks x

 

[alioop]

He flew out today after spending 24 hours in Mackay.

Thanks Mrs Plod. Hopefully that means he was satisfied that the investigation was progressing satisfactorily.

 

[SouthAussie]

EVERY person in Mackay would now know the name Shandee Blackburn.

Murdered 14 days ago, the greatest loss is felt by those closest to her.

Born June 11, 1989, in Brisbane to parents Vicki and Peter Blackburn, Shandee was the little sister Shannah Blackburn had longed for.

Today the Mercury launched a daily photograph it will run in the "Five Things" section of the paper counting the number of days since Shandee Blackburn was murdered.

With the investigation into her tragic death still ongoing, the photograph will run with the hope that it will prompt anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers.

Shandee's mother Vicki Blackburn has supported the paper's move and said she hoped readers would take note of the photo.

"We really need people who have been involved in Shandee's life in the last 12 months to come forward and talk to police," she said.

http://www.dailymercury.com.au/news/mum-and-sister-recall-a-cheeky-girl-who-loved-life/1767142/


There is also a photo gallery in the bottom part of the linked page with photos of events following Shandee's murder.

 

[alioop]

If the police don't believe the attack on Shandee was random, and they know she wasn't followed home because of CCTV footage, then it seems fair to suggest that her attacker was waiting for her after she turned the corner into her street. So they must have known her movements and that she would walk home from work at that time.

If that is so, then why attack her in her street and not some other place on her route home, maybe closer to Harrup park.? How did the attacker escape the scene apparently unseen. She was stabbed many times, that would have taken some time and all the while she would have been screaming and drawing people to her aid, yet the attacker wasn't seen. Was there a getaway vehicle with someone else driving so the attacker could just jump in and go? Lots of questions, not least of all the question as to why someone known to her would do this. It was a very personal attack. No doubt police are digging into her life trying to find answers to these questions.

 

[SouthAussie]

The Gold Coast could hold the answer about who did this to Shandee.

The person who did this must have been covered in blood, had a knife to get rid of or clean, had to make a quick getaway ... you would think someone would have noticed something. But it was after midnight - perhaps the killer wore dark clothing, ran to their nearby car, headed back to the Gold Coast, and cleaned up when far away from Mackay.

The 23-year-old had moved back to Mackay only recently after living on the Gold Coast for about a year.

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/...f-becoming-a-mum/story-e6freoof-1226580677631

"We really need people who have been involved in Shandee's life in the last 12 months to come forward and talk to police," she said.
"It's vital they get as much information as they can."

http://www.dailymercury.com.au/news/mum-and-sister-recall-a-cheeky-girl-who-loved-life/1767142/

 

[alioop]

Good points. If someone was prepared to lie in wait for Shandee and stab her multiple times, then travelling up from the Gold Coast to do that would be no big deal for the person who did this. Of course someone could have been paid to do it too.

 

[alioop]

POLICE have released further CCTV footage of possible witnesses to Shandee Blackburn's murder.

The officer in charge of the Mackay District CIB Detective Senior Sergeant Rodd Carroll said the images were of two cars that were captured on CCTV footage while travelling on Juliet St, at 12.12am, on the night of the murder. Police are also trying to find her distinctive handbag which they know she had when she left work.



http://www.dailymercury.com.au/news...handees-murder/1774062/#.US707YiZu4A.facebook

 

[marlywings]

February 28, 2013

POLICE have released an image of Mackay murder victim Shandee Blackburn shortly before her death in the hope it will help find her missing handbag

CCTV footage of Shandee from earlier that night shows her carrying a cream-coloured handbag with a distinctive silver skull embellishment.

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/...gation-continues/story-e6freoof-1226587807742

 

[SouthAussie]

So presumably all contents of her bag are also missing, including her phone?

Did the perp grab the handbag to make it look like a violent robbery .... or was it actually a violent robbery by someone who desperately needed money, perhaps for drugs? I keep thinking of that drug rehab/halfway house on the street where Shandee was murdered.

 

[Curiousasacat]

So presumably all contents of her bag are also missing, including her phone?

Did the perp grab the handbag to make it look like a violent robbery .... or was it actually a violent robbery by someone who desperately needed money, perhaps for drugs? I keep thinking of that drug rehab/halfway house on the street where Shandee was murdered.

BBM - Yes I agree SA. The police seem to think it was not a random attack but I for some reason am leaning towards a drug crazed lunatic but this in my MOO. I really have no idea.
Someone has the bag and someone else has to know more.I hope they come forward soon.

 

[alioop]

It seems to me that whether it is a drug crazed lunatic or a personal attack, either way the person who did this is a crazed lunatic!

One other possibility that occurred to me and it may of course not be the case, is that it was a deliberate personal attack but on the wrong girl. If someone was lying in wait to attack a particular girl for whatever personal reasons, maybe Shandee just came along at that time. It could have been intended for someone else who also lived nearby that was due home from work or clubbing etc.