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.
Missing since May 16, 1992 from Perth, Western
Australia.
Date Of Birth: July 29 1977
Age at Time of Disappearance: 14 years old
Height and Weight at Time of Disappearance: 5'3" - 160 cm.
Distinguishing Characteristics: White female. Blue eyes, auburn hair.
Marks, Scars: She has a noticeable turned left eye.
Clothing: Blue jeans ("JAG" brand), red jumper and sports shoes.
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.
WA police charge man over the 1992 disappearance of teenager Radina Djukich
Rourke WalshThe
West Australian
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.
The charged man will appear in Perth Magistrate’s Court on
Friday.
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.
Police search swamp north of Perth for clues in missing girl cold case
Police are this morning searching swampland in Perth's north in relation to the
disappearance of a North Beach girl more than two decades ago.
Forensic officers are at Star Swamp in Watermans Bay looking for clues into the
case of 14-year-old Radina Djukich, who went missing in May, 1992.
Radina's body has never been found, but last year a man was charged with her
manslaughter.
Ronald Joseph Buckland, 70, is due in the WA Supreme Court later this month.
He is alleged to have killed Radina at North Beach between May 15-16,
1992.
The breakthrough in the case was announced last year by police who said it
would be alleged Radina was buried in a bush grave after being injected with
a substance.
"Despite searches being undertaken over a number of years ... Radina's
remains have never been recovered," Acting Deputy WA Police Commissioner
Gary Budge told 6PR at the time.
"At this stage we say there is prima facie evidence for a manslaughter
charge."
Radina's family are understood to have been informed about developments in
the case.
Officers are expected to remain in the swamp area until at least Wednesday
with public access to parts of the reserve closed.
Ronald Joseph Buckland, accused of killing teenager Radina Djukich, dies
from cancer
A convicted murderer accused of killing a Perth teenager who disappeared
almost three decades ago has died in hospital from cancer.
Ronald Joseph Buckland, 70, was due to stand trial in December accused of
injecting 14-year-old Radina Djukich with a deadly substance before burying
her body in bushland.
He denied the allegations.
Ms Djukich was last seen alive in May 1992 leaving her home in the Perth
suburb of North Beach.
Buckland was understood to have been living with her at the time, and he
reported her missing to police claiming she had run away interstate.
A year after Ms Djuckich's disappearance, Buckland murdered his 18-year-old
girlfriend Victoria Robinson, after an argument, and buried her body in
bushland near Yanchep in Perth's north.
He was jailed for life with a 20-year minimum, and it was when he became
eligible for parole that police charged him with killing Ms Djukich.
Information from deathbed sparked Wednesday's search
On Thursday Buckland's lawyer Patti Chong confirmed her client had died in
Fiona Stanley Hospital.
He had been ill for some time and at his last court appearance earlier this
month, Ms Chong said she did not believe he would be well enough to stand
trial.
Buckland's death comes a day after cold case police officers conducted a new
search of bushland at Yanchep to try to find Ms Djukich's remains.
It is understood the new search was a result of Buckland providing further
information to detectives.
It was the second search conducted by cold case officers since Buckland was
charged.
Inquest told of similarities between cases
An inquest was conducted into Ms Djukich's suspected death in 2001, with
police telling the inquest her disappearance had "similarities" to what
happened to Ms Robinson.
Buckland gave evidence at the hearing and denied having anything to do with
either Ms Robinson's death, or Ms Djukich's disappearance.
In his findings the then-state coroner, Alastair Hope, said he believed Ms
Djukich was the victim of a homicide, and that Buckland may have been
involved in the killing or in disposing of her body.
However he found there was insufficient evidence to conclude that Buckland
was the killer.
At the time, Ms Djukich's mother said she "had no doubts" Buckland was
responsible.
"Why, I have no idea what the motive is, I have no idea," she said.
"I just want my daughter back, and I'm just praying to God that he
[Buckland] does come clean and gives me back my girl."
Search for Radina Djukich continues after death of alleged killer,
Ronald Joseph Buckland
AAP
A search continues in Perth's north for the remains of a
14-year-old girl who went missing almost 30 years ago, having been triggered
by her alleged killer's deathbed confession.
Radina Djukich was last seen in May 1992 leaving a home North
Beach, where she had been briefly living with Ronald Joseph Buckland, who
paid her surety after she got into trouble with the law.
The following year, Buckland murdered his girlfriend Victoria
Robinson and served 20 years behind bars for the killing.
When he became eligible for parole last year, aged 69, he was
charged with manslaughter over Ms Djukich's death.
He was accused of killing her by injecting her with a
substance, then burying her in a bush grave, but pleaded not guilty and was
due to face trial.
He died on Thursday from cancer after tipping police off to
bushland at Yanchep, where Ms Robinson's body was found.
They began searching on Tuesday, using heavy machinery and
detecting equipment.
Corrective Services said Buckland had been receiving
palliative care in the infirmary of Casuarina maximum security prison and
died after being taken to hospital by ambulance, having told staff he was
feeling unwell.
Buckland claimed Ms Djukich had run away interstate, but led
police to Star Swamp Reserve in North Beach in February.
/WA/DJUKICH-Radina-WA_393x500.jpg)
