Victoria Police have announced a $1 million reward for information surrounding the murder of Debbie Bunworth.

Debbie Lorraine Bunworth was last seen alive at the Newport Railway Station on Friday 6 September 1985. 

Her brother dropped her at the station after she attended at his Werribee home to borrow some clothes from his wife earlier in the day. 

Despite an extensive police investigation, the 24-year-old woman has not been seen since. 

Debbie was a known drug user who frequented the St Kilda area. 

At the time of her disappearance she had committed to making a better life for herself and her ten-year-old daughter and had put things in place to help with her addiction. 

An inquest was held on 27 May 2003 where the Coroner’s finding was Debbie was a victim of foul play by an unknown assailant(s). 

Homicide Squad detectives recently received information from a number of sources in South Australia which identified a person of interest to the investigation. 

As a result of that information investigators travelled to Adelaide this week and spoke to that person. 

The investigation into this information is continuing and Commander Doug Fryer is hoping the announcement of the reward will encourage further people to come forward. 

“For nearly thirty years Debbie’s loved ones have been wondering what happened to her and we are hoping that the announcement of this reward will give those who know the incentive to pick up the phone and make that crucial call to crime stoppers,” he said. 

“There are people out there who know what happened to Debbie and we want them to think about Debbie’s daughter, and the pain she has lived with for all these years 

“We believe we are close to solving this investigation, but we just need a little bit more help, I am appealing to those who have some information to show some compassion and tell us what happened.”

A reward of up to one million dollars ($1,000,000) will be paid at the discretion of the Chief Commissioner of Police, for information leading to the apprehension and subsequent conviction of the person or persons responsible for the death of Debbie Bunworth.

The Director of Public Prosecutions will consider, according to established guidelines, the granting of indemnification from prosecution to any person who provides information as to the identity of the principal offender or offenders in this matter.

Any information given will be treated as confidential and may be given at any time to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, or the Homicide Cold Case and Missing Persons Squad, 313 Spencer Street, West Melbourne on (03) 8690 2606 during business hours.

 

Victoria Police offers $8 million in rewards to solve cold cases

June 6, 2015 — 11.57am - The Age

 

Donna's mother Debbie Bunworth disappeared 30 years ago. Police suspect she was the victim of foul play.

Donna has for decades lived with the "sadness of not knowing where she is or who is responsible for her disappearance".

The mother-of-one was last seen at Newport train station in September 1985. In 2003, a coroner ruled Ms Bunworth had been killed.

On Saturday, she welcome the news that her mother's case was one of eight that Victoria Police has offered a $1 million reward to solve.

"I am pleased to hear Victoria Police has approved a reward of $1 million dollars to help solve the mystery of what happened to my mother Debbie," she said.

"Debbie has a large family who loved her dearly. She is not only a loved mother to myself, she is also a loved daughter and sister."

The announcement of the reward comes after Melbourne detectives this week travelled to Adelaide to interview a man they said was a person of interest in Ms Bunworth's disappearance.

"I would like to appeal directly to the person responsible for my mother's disappearance and ask them to come forward and provide some resolution for myself, my grandparents and my aunts and uncles," Donna said.

"There are people out there who will know what happened to my mother and will know who is responsible and I ask for their compassion and empathy and urge them to contact the police so that my family can move forward with the process of grieving the loss of a beautiful mother, daughter and sister."

The eight $1 million police rewards announced on Saturday relate to the cases of six women and two men who were killed or died between 1985 and 2002.

 

"To lose someone you love in violent circumstance would be incomprehensible to anyone, to have the added factor of not knowing who was responsible and what happened adds to the trauma," Commander Doug Fryer said.