Radina Marie DJUKICH

Circumstances

At about 7pm on the evening of Friday, 15 May 1992, 14 year old Radina Djukich left her home address in Edgefield Way, North Beach. She later spoke to her mother by telephone, the last contact between the two. Radina was reported as a missing person the following morning.

The person or persons responsible for Radina’s disappearance have not been identified.

If you have information that may assist police to locate Raymond please call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Circumstances of Disappearance
Radina Djukich was reported missing by Ronald Joseph Buckland on May 16, 1992, six weeks after she was released into his care after an appearance in the Children's Court.
At the time, Buckland was on parole after serving part of a six-year sentence for breaking and entering. He had an extensive criminal record, including convictions for assault and armed robbery. In 1982, he had been declared an habitual criminal.
Buckland was not Radina's father in any legal sense, yet the Children's Court released her on a $1000 surety with the condition that she lived with Buckland and observed a 7pm to 7am curfew.
When she disappeared Buckland said she had run away interstate.
A year later, Buckland murdered his 18-year-old girlfriend, Vicki Robinson, after an argument, and buried her body in bush near Yanchep. He is serving a 20-year sentence for the crime.
In 1996, Buckland told police Radina had been murdered but denied responsibility. He led officers on an unsuccessful search for her body around the Star Swamp in the Perth suburb of North Beach.

Detectives believe they have cracked a 27-year cold case after charging a 69-year-old man with manslaughter over the 1992 disappearance of teenager Radina Djukich.

Acting Deputy Commissioner Gary Budge said police would allege the man injected the 14-year-old with substance that caused her death and buried her body in a bush grave.

Radina was reported missing from her Alvis Place home in North Beach on May 16, 1992. Despite several searches taking place over a number of years, her body has never been found.

“Obviously at times like this our thoughts are with family and friends of Radina because it is very difficult for them,” Mr Budge told 6PR’s Morning Program.

“Whilst we have charged a person with manslaughter, I would like to ask if anyone does have any information which they have been withholding, or have not been prepared to come forward with, now is the time to do that.”

Mr Budge said the breakthrough was made after police received new information more than a year ago but he said the investigation was continuing.

“Our team have been working on that backtracking on some information,” he said.

“There has been a lot of work done on this over the 27 years but they have got to the stage now in concert with the DPP where we think there is sufficient evidence to charge.”

Mr Budge said Radina’s mother, who still lives in WA, had been made aware of the breakthrough.

Radina Djukich cold case investigators charge man with manslaughter almost three decades on

Police in Western Australia have charged a man over the death of a Perth teenager who was reported missing almost 27 years ago, alleging he killed her by injecting her with a substance before burying her in a bush grave.

Key points:

Ronald Joseph Buckland will face court on Friday over the death of Radina Djukich
He allegedly killed the girl by injecting her with a substance and buried her in bush
Police say they obtained fresh information about Ms Djukich's death a year ago

Radina Djukich, then 14, was last seen in May 1992 leaving her home in the Perth suburb of North Beach.

Almost three decades later, WA Police have revealed 69-year-old Ronald Joseph Buckland has been charged by cold case detectives with her manslaughter.

Mr Buckland is understood to have been living with Ms Djukich at the time of her disappearance.

The teenager's body has never been found.

WA Police Deputy Commissioner Gary Budge said the charge came after police received fresh information more than a year ago.

He said that resulted in officers reviewing old details from the missing persons investigation.

"It will be alleged that he provided an injection to Radina and she subsequently died. He later [allegedly] buried her body in a bush location," he said.

"At this time we think about her family, who will find this quite traumatic and another episode in their life.

"We are very pleased to have brought this to a charge but there is still a long way to go.

"We will never give up on these cases."

Police appeal for more information

Deputy Commissioner Budge said investigations into Ms Djukich's death were ongoing.

"Over a period of time friendships and acquaintances change. There may be someone out there who has some information about Radina's manslaughter or circumstances around that and we'd like to encourage those people to come forward now," he said.

"There have been a number of attempts over the past 27 years to recover Radina's remains, all unsuccessful. There are no plans to do that again right at this time."

Mr Buckland is due to appear in court on Friday.

Ronald Joseaph Buckland appears in court over 1992 disappearance of Radina Djukich

Ronald Joseph Buckland - the man whom Radina Djukich regarded as her father - appeared in Perth Magistrate’s Court today by videolink from prison, charged with unlawfully killing the 14-year-old.

A 69-year-old man has appeared in court charged with manslaughter over the 1992 disappearance of teenager Radina Djukich.

Ronald Joseph Buckland - the man whom Radina regarded as her father - appeared in Perth Magistrate’s Court today by videolink from prison, charged with unlawfully killing the 14-year-old.

Police allege Mr Buckland injected Radina with a substance in May 1992 that caused her death, then buried her body in a bush grave.

The manslaughter charge was read to Mr Buckland but he was not required to enter a plea.

He did not apply for bail and his case was adjourned until later this month.

Mr Buckland reported Radina missing from his North Beach home on May 16, 1992.

Despite several searches since Radina vanished, her body has not been found.

Acting Deputy Commissioner Gary Budge earlier said no other potential grave sites had been identified so no new searches were planned.

Radina’s mother, Christine, has been told of the breakthrough but has not spoken publicly.

“It’s obviously very traumatic for families in these situations,” Mr Budge said.

“This provides some outcome for the family in that we’ve charged someone. But there’s still a long way to go.”

A coronial inquest in 2001 found Radina had been killed, and then-State coroner Alastair Hope found Mr Buckland was either involved in her death or the disposal of her body.

But he concluded there was insufficient evidence to determine whether Mr Buckland was responsible for the teen’s death.

Mr Buckland has previously denied killing Radina or knowing what happened to her.

He named someone else as her killer and led police on four searches for her body.

Mr Budge said cold-case homicide investigators had been working on Radina’s case for more than a year and had identified a new line of inquiry.

Circumstances

WA police charge man over the 1992 disappearance of teenager Radina Djukich

Radina Djukich cold case investigators charge man with manslaughter almost three decades on

Key points:

Police appeal for more information

Ronald Joseaph Buckland appears in court over 1992 disappearance of Radina Djukich