Christopher Dean WATKINS

Missing man Christopher Watkins was last sighted in Mayfield on the evening of August 7, 2013.

 

 

 

Circumstances

Christopher Watkins was last seen at approximately midnight on Tuesday 7th August 2013 in the Mayfield, TASMANIA area.

 

Mayfield's Christopher Dean Watkins, 29, went missing without a trace around midnight on August 7. He had just been dropped off by a friend to Thompson's Lane in Mayfield.

Police and family are unsure what happened to Mr Watkins but hold grave fears for his safety. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers 1800333000.

 

Does anyone out there know the whereabouts of Chris Watkins?

Chris went missing from Mayfield, Tasmania in August 2013. His family need closure, and are begging anyone that may have any information at all to the whereabouts of their beloved brother, cousin, uncle, & son, to please come forward (even anonymously) by contacting Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

 

Plea for missing son to come home

"WE just want him home," Alanvale mother Lillian Watkins says of her son Christopher Dean Watkins, who was last seen about 12 days ago.

Mr Watkins, 28, was reported missing to police on Saturday.

He had been staying with friends at Mayfield.

Mrs Watkins said she did not know what had happened to her eldest son.

"It's just out of character for him not to be in contact with his two brothers," she said.

"They are very close. His family is missing him.

"I got concerned myself on Monday last week when I knew that he did not access his bank account, but his brother Sean had concerns before that.

"I just want him to come home or make contact with me or Sean or his dad Ray, just to let us know that he is OK, or if there is a particular reason why he has gone away for a while.

"Please contact us and let us know you're OK."

Mr Watkins is about 170 centimetres tall, of medium build, with a bald head, blue eyes and tattoos.

Police urge anyone with information about his whereabouts to call Launceston police on 63363701 or Crime Stoppers on 1800333000.

Christopher Dean Watkins: Tasmanian Police offer $50,000 reward in case of missing Launceston man

Updated 

Police are offering a $50,000 reward for information that helps them solve the case of the disappearance of a Launceston man two years ago.

Christopher Dean Watkins, 28, was last seen at a unit in Box Street, Mayfield, on August 7, 2013 and police now strongly suspect he was murdered.

Tasmania Police Detective Inspector John King said Mr Watkins made a panicked phone call to a family member after two men he had a troubled history with visited the Mayfield home he shared with four other men.

Detective Inspector King said all six men are believed to have misled police about what happened to Mr Watkins.

"All the people who were living at that address, and the two people who visited, are definitely persons of interest for murder," he said.

"If they weren't involved in the murder, they were involved in perverting the course of justice."

He said the reward may encourage people who have information about the case to come forward.

"There are people out there who know what happened and who know who is responsible," he said.

"We're anticipating that with the passage of time and the inducement of this reward there will be people who may reconsider their choice to remain silent."

National Missing Persons Week begins on Sunday with the theme "follow your instincts".

Police said it was a myth that people had to wait for 24 hours before they can report someone as missing.

Police ask anyone who has information on any of these cases to contact them on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers or anonymously 1800 333 000.

Men charged with conspiracy over investigation into missing man Christopher Watkins

PATRICK BILLINGS, Mercury

    • TWO men have been charged in connection with the disappearance and suspected murder of Launceston man Christopher Dean Watkins.

    The two men, both from Launceston, have been charged with conspiracy.

    Police allege the men, aged 22 and 23, conspired to pervert the due course of justice by deliberately providing false information during the police investigation.

    Mr Watkins was last sighted in Mayfield on the evening of August 7, 2013.

    His disappearance has been the subject of an intensive police investigation since he went missing.

    A $50,000 reward was offered last week for information leading to a prosecution in the case.

    “Both these men are alleged to have been living at the address at which Mr Watkins was last seen,” Northern CIB Detective Inspector John King said.

    “We allege that they have provided false information about the events of that night.

    “Investigations are ongoing and we anticipate additional charges against others as more information comes to hand.”

     

    Woman convicted over false statement in suspected Launceston murder case

    Shae Lee Parker, 24, was interviewed by police on August 27 in 2013 over the disappearance of Mr Watkins, who has not been seen since August 7.
     

    Parker made a statutory declaration to police in which she said her brother had turned up at her house with two friends, known as Old Buddha and Red, on the night of Mr Watkins disappearance. 
     

    She was interviewed again in August 2015 and told police her previous statement was false.

    Parker told police that on the night of Mr Watkins’s disappearance, her brother arrived at her home about 11pm and was upset and shaking. 
     

    Her brother then told her he and Mr Watkins had been taken from his house, hog tied and put into the boot of a car before being driven to bushland, ripped from the car and interrogated by Old Buddha and Red.

    He told her Watkins was shot and told to run and when he did not cooperate, he was shot again and Parker’s brother was forced to watch and then help bury Mr Watkins.
     

    Parker pleaded guilty to charges of failing to report the killing of a person and making a false declaration.

    Supreme Court judge Shan Tennent said in her sentencing report: “You had no direct involvement in the events which you accept resulted in Mr Watkins death.
     

    “It is difficult to say just what impact on the police investigation into the death your failure to disclose might have had.”
     

    Parker was convicted in the Launceston Supreme Court on Monday and sentenced to nine months in prison, wholly suspended.

    She was ordered to pay a victim of crime compensation levy of $100 within 28 days.
     

    “I accept that when you first spoke to police in 2013 you feared for your own and your brother’s safety … in my view the prospects of rehabilitation, given 

    your age and circumstances should assume greater importance than general deterrence.”

     

    Christopher Dean Watkins disappearance case produces new twist

     

    Matthew James Badkin has been charged with one count of perverting the course of justice. His trial began in the Launceston Supreme Court on Monday.

    Police suspect Mr Watkins, who was last seen at a Box Street unit in Mayfield on the evening of August 7, 2013, was murdered.

    Justice Robert Pearce told the jury that Mr Badkin had been accused of attempting to pervert justice by giving false information to police relating to his whereabouts on or about August 13, 2013 and on or about September 27 that same year.

    The presentation of evidence in Mr Badkin's trial will begin on Tuesday and witnesses will include a woman understood to be Mr Badkin's ex-partner, as well as Mr Watkins' brother.

    Justice Pearce said the court was aiming to wrap up the trial by Thursday but that it could go longer.

    If you know anything about Mr Watkins' disappearance, call Launceston CIB on 131 444.

     

     

    2019 - CHRISTOPHER Watkins, last seen at Mayfield (Launceston) on August 7, 2013, aged 28.

    Mr Watkins was last seen with a number of associates in the area of Box Street, Mayfield.

    Mr Watkins, 28, is described as 170cm tall, medium build, shaved bald head, blue eyes, and a

    fair complexion. He has tattoos of barbed wire on his left bicep, a brick wall on his left wrist,

    an 8-ball on his inner left arm and a Celtic band on his left thigh.

    A police investigation remains ongoing into the disappearance and suspected murder of

    Mr Watkins.

    A $50,000 reward remains on offer for information leading to a prosecution in the case.

    Three people have been charged and convicted with various crimes concerning Mr Watkins including failing to report the killing of a person, perverting the course of justice, conspiring

    to pervert the due course of justice, and making a false statutory declaration.

     

    Tasmania Police ups rewards in high-profile cold cases, including Christoper Watkins, Victoria Cafasso, Eve Askew

    By Jessica Moran- ABC

     

    Posted , updated 

    It's been almost eight years since Launceston mother-of-five Lillian Watkins last saw her son Christopher.

    "It's been hell … not knowing where he is," she said.

    Christopher was 28 years old when he disappeared from a unit in Box Street, Mayfield, on August 7, 2013.

    Police believe he made a panicked phone call to a family member after two men he had a troubled history with visited the Mayfield home he shared with four other men. 

    Police say there's significant, credible information that he was abducted and murdered, but so far no one has been charged.

    "We believe this case is very solvable … and we would love for the person with that information to come forward."

    Lillian said the hardest part is not having closure about what happened to her son.

    "He was loving, fun, kind, had the biggest heart … he'd do anything for anybody," Lillian said.

    "I don't really know [what happened to him] to be honest."

    Police increase rewards for in high-profile murder cases

    The case is one of seven high-profile murders or suspected murder investigations across the state which police have increased the reward for information that leads to a conviction to $500,000.

    "This kind of money allows a fresh start," Assistant Commissioner Jonathan Higgins said.

    "These rewards are an important investigative tool that may entice people with crucial information to come forward and provide this to police."

    Other cases include then 26-year-old Nancy Grunwaldt who went missing from the east coast in 1993.

    Extensive investigations have been carried out but she has never been located.

    Italian tourist Victoria Cafasso, 20, was murdered on Beaumaris Beach also on the east coast in 1995.

    No-one has been charged after several lengthy investigations.

    Paul Winston Byrne, 32, was reporting missing in 1996.

    It is strongly suspected he was murdered in Rossarden in north-east Tasmania.

    Helen Munnings was 20 years old when she disappeared from the Burnie area around 23 July 2008.

    The coroner determined Ms Munnings died in Burnie on or about this day.

    It is strongly suspected she was murdered.

    Simon Crisp was shot dead in the carpark of the Marrawah Hotel in the north-west in 2013 when he was 44 years old.

    After extensive investigations, no-one has been charged.

    Eve Askew, 14, was reported missing from her home in Fitzgerald in southern Tasmania in November 1991.

    She has never been located and it's believed she met with foul play.

    The previous rewards for these cases varied from $30,000 to $250,000, some have been in place for decades.

    "What we've seen in some of the other mainland states is when rewards are increased it has generated far greater interest, allegiances change with people and what it has lead to is convictions," Assistant Commissioner Higgins said.

    "We're hoping people may now come forward that may not have before."

    "It's really important that we get closure for families in relation to these cases … getting justice for families is perhaps the most important thing that we can possibly do as police officers."

    Anyone with information that could help solve these cases is asked to contact Police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online at crimestopperstas.com.au.

     

     

    Tasmania Police announces $500,000 cold case rewards

     

    Detectives are offering half a million dollars for information relating to seven unsolved murders.

    Tasmania Police revealed on Monday morning the increased reward would be on offer for information relating to a conviction in each of the outstanding cases.

    Some of the cases had offers of $30,000, while others had already been increased to $50,000 and $250,000.

    But now, all seven investigations came with a $500,000 incentive for witnesses.

    Those cases included Christopher Dean Watkins, Nancy Grunwaldt, Victoria Cafasso, Paul Winston Byrne, Helen Munnings, Simon Crisp, and Eve Askew.

    Mr Watkins vanished from Mayfield in 2013, and police believe he was murdered.

    His mother, Lillian Watkins, said the reward increase left her feeling "over the moon".

    Knowing "in her heart" her son was murdered, she said finding the person responsible would give her family closure.

    She described the past eight years as "hell" for her family, and said she even feared for her own life knowing the killer was still at large.

    "There has been times I thought 'are they going to come for us', it's been difficult," she said.

    Launceston-based Detective Inspector Craig Fox said the Watkins case had never been closed, and was "very close to being solvable".
     

    Hopeful the reward increase would encourage witnesses to come forward, Detective Inspector Fox said police would revisit old leads, and re-interrogate previous suspects.

    Witness statements early on in the investigation suggested Mr Watkins was taken from a unit at Box Street, driven to bushland, shot and buried.

    But his body was never found.

    While police had significant information relating to the case, Detective Inspector Fox said their focus would be to turn that information into strong evidence that could be used in court.
     

    "We will investigate every avenue we can to bring justice for Chris," Detective Inspector Fox said.

    Making the reward announcement on Monday, Tasmania Police Assistant Commissioner Jonathan Higgins said offering more money could give witnesses "a fresh start".

    "In the passage of time someone's circumstances and allegiances may have changed and the offer of a life-changing amount of money may be the motivation they need to come forward," he said.

    "If you have information about any of these cases, please come forward and help us provide some kind of closure to the families and loved ones of the victims. Families always deserve answers to what happened to their loved ones and we owe it to them to find those answers."