Henry "Harry" HOUSTON

 

 

                                  Henry (Harry) Houston as he looked some years ago.

Missing Person / Murder - Harry Houston - Whyalla

Reference: 
10/15TV -

 
10/15TV - Police are appealing to the public for any information regarding Harry Houston - missing from Whyalla. The disappearance of missing WHYALLA man Harry HOUSTON has been declared a major crime and the investigation into HOUSTON's disappearance is being conducted by the Major Crime Investigation Section. The last confirmed sighting of HOUSTON was at about midday on Friday 30 October 2009 when he left his Jasmine Drive address in his maroon Toyota 4Runner, registered WBD495. Police hold growing concerns for HOUSTON's wellbeing as he requires daily medication to remain in good health. HOUSTON was last seen wearing a blue/white Geelong Football Club cap, blue flannelette shirt and brown shorts. He is described as being about 168cms, stocky build, red/grey hair and beard. Anyone with information is asked to contact BankSA Crime Stoppers.
 
 

 

'Grave concerns' for missing man

Posted Thu Nov 12, 2009 2:13pm AEDT

 

SA Police say they have had few leads from the public in relation to the disappearance of a Whyalla man who has been missing for nearly two weeks.

Henry Houston, 51, is described as Caucasian, with a fair complexion, about 165 centimetres tall and a stocky build.

He was last seen at his home in Whyalla Stuart on October 30.

Chief Inspector Alby Quinn says Mr Houston needs daily medication.

"He hasn't accessed any of that medication as far as we know from anywhere and therefore we do have grave concerns for his well-being," he said.

"It is important that the public help us out here, if they do know anything at all they can contact either Crime Stoppers or the Whyalla police direct."

 

Large scale search for Harry

24 Nov, 2009 05:42 PM - Whyalla News

A large scale search was conducted over the weekend for Henry Houston who was last seen leaving home between 11am and 12.15pm on October 30 in his red Toyota 4Runner registered WBD-495.

Detectives from the Whyalla Criminal Investigations Branch and Major Crime Investigation Section are investigating the disappearance.

State Emergency Services (SES) and local police began searching the Whyalla area on Friday.

The last confirmed sighting of Harry as he is commonly known, was when he left his Jasmine Drive home wearing a Geelong Football Club baseball cap, a blue flannelette shirt and brown shorts.

He is 168 cm in height, of stocky build, has red/grey hair and a red beard.

Police and family members hold grave fears for his well-being as he needs daily medication to remain in good health.

Whyalla Police Station's operations manager Steve Sims said the search was conducted over the weekend only.

He said the next date to be set for another round of search operations will be decided later.

Detectives have requested members of the public who have any information in relation to Mr Houston on or after October 30 to contact Bank SA Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Missing man case deemed major crime

Posted Mon Nov 30, 2009 2:47pm AEDT - ABC

The disappearance of Whyalla man Henry Houston, who needs daily medication, has been declared a major crime.

Mr Houston is known locally as Harry and was last seen leaving his Jasmine Drive home on October 30.

Chief Inspector Alby Quinn says Whyalla police have located Mr Houston's car but have limited available resources and Major Crime detectives will take over the investigation.

"We did conduct another search for Harry last week and unfortunately we still didn't find Harry," he said.

"So we've got very grave concerns for him now given the time frame and the limited information we've had coming in."

Police tight-lipped over Harry Houston case
03 Dec, 2009 09:18 AM
Police remain tight-lipped about the operational investigations for 51-year-old missing man Henry Houston.

A press conference was called in Adelaide yesterday by the Major Crime Investigation Branch's Detective Inspector Denise Gray.

She did not comment when asked if there was a suspect and if police were treating the case as suspected murder.

No comments were made on recent media reports which alleged that Mr Houston was seen with a huge amount of cash and a suspect was being questioned.

Inspector Gray renewed calls for information from the public saying more than 50 people have been questioned so far.

She said family members had grave concerns for Mr Houston's whereabouts because he was on medication.

Local police and those involved with the investigations have been given strict instructions not to reveal details to the media.

Police are still treating the case as a major crime and one of disappearance.

Local police and State Emergency Services (SES) volunteers carried out a large scale search of the Whyalla area on November 21 and 22.

Police are continuing to talk to neighbours, friends and relatives and to anyone who is coming forward with information.

Further searches have not been ruled out, and Whyalla police are working closely with officers from Adelaide to find clues to the disappearance.

Mr Houston was last sighted between 11am and 12.15 pm on Friday, October 30 when he left his home address on Jasmine Drive, Whyalla in a red Toyota 4Runner registered (SA) WBD-495.

He was wearing a Geelong Football Club baseball cap, a blue flannelette shirt and brown shorts.

He is described as being a man of Caucasian appearance, about 168cm, stocky build, red/grey hair and a red beard.

Detectives would like anyone who may have seen Mr Houston on Friday October 30 or who may have information in relation to his disappearance to contact Bank SA Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Adelaide man under the spotlight in two separate cold case investigations

By 9NEWS
An Adelaide man is under the spotlight in two separate cold case murder investigations, with fears he could be responsible for the murders of two people seven years apart.
9NEWS can reveal major crime detectives are actively pursuing the lead that has emerged during the investigation into the disappearance of 51-year-old Harry Houston.
The Whyalla father vanished in 2009 after visiting a friend less than a kilometre from his home.
Despite extensive searches on the west coast Mr Houston's body has never been found.
A suspect was identified just days after Mr Houston went missing when his four-wheel drive was found in the possession of someone known to him.
That man claimed he'd bought the vehicle, but it's an explanation that's been rejected by both police and the victim's son who confronted the suspect.
"I said well if you did buy this car then why did my dad leave his belongings in his car and my belongings he wouldn't just leave his belongings in our car," Scott Houston told 9NEWS.
During the investigation detectives became suspicious when they discovered the man was also linked to mother-of-two Karen Morton, who disappeared from her Pennington home in 2002.
Her body has also never been found.
"The person has told us a number of versions about her disappearance and that is still be looked at as well," Detective Inspector Phil Linton from South Australia Police said.
9NEWS can't identify the man for legal reasons, but it can be revealed he's now officially regarded as a person of interest in both cases.
Detectives will now review the files as part of the historic cold case review and any new evidence will be forward to the Director of Public Prosecutions for consideration.

 

 

New information in disappearance of Pennington mum, Karen Morton, and “Harry” Houston, of Whyalla

POLICE are slowly unravelling the mystery disappearance and possible murder of two people after linking them to a Whyalla man who is a suspect in at least one of the cold cases

 
November 22, 2016 - 10:01AM Advertiser

 

POLICE are steadily unravelling the mystery disappearance and possible murder of two people after linking them to a Whyalla man who is a suspect in at least one of the cold cases.

Operation Persist investigators say they have connected one suspect to the 2009 disappearance of Henry “Harry” Houston, of Whyalla, and that of Pennington mother-of-two, Karen Morton, 35, who vanished seven years earlier.

Police have established that the suspect in the Houston case once lived at a Pennington address with Ms Morton, who was reported missing in April 2002.

Neither missing person knew the other but both were closely associated with the Whyalla man, police say.

“While Ms Morton’s link with her former housemate is of interest to police, we have an open mind about who was involved in her disappearance and presumed murder,” Major Crime Investigation Branch Detective Superintendent Des Bray said.

The Major Crime Investigation Branch is leading the operation.

Ms Morton was last seen by her father on February 9, 2002, but the last confirmed sighting of her was on April 5, 2002, when she visited her doctor.

An insulin-dependent diabetic who was addicted to heroin, Ms Morton frequented Adelaide’s western suburbs and sometimes engaged in sex work to fund her drug habit.

Mr Houston also had a history with illegal drugs and would make a daily visit at Whyalla’s Westlands Shopping Centre to collect methadone from the Monarch Pharmacy, which he did at 9am on October, 30, 2009.

At midday the same day, he visited a female friend in Whyalla and after leaving her home about 12.30pm he vanished.
His distinctive red Toyota 4Runner was seen 30 minutes later parked in the driveway of the suspect’s home.

Det-Supt Bray said that man later told police Mr Houston had sold him the vehicle but the mystery continues.

“We never close unsolved major crime cases in South Australia and since renewed police and media attention regarding these cases last year, there have been 11 reports to Crime Stoppers,” Det-Supt Bray said.

“We know that one simple piece of information can be all it takes to put a killer in jail and bring some justice to the families of those who are missing.’’

Some people are withholding information that could give police critical facts needed to solve both cold cases and ease the pain for the grieving families involved, Det-Supt Bray said

“These families deserve some answers and I would urge those holding on to that information to examine their consciences,’’ he said.

“Information, such as where we can find Harry and Karen, can be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers.

“Rewards of $200,000 are available for anyone with information leading to either a conviction or recovery of the remains in both of these cases.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 1800 333 000 or on the Crime Stoppers website.

 

 

 

THE DISAPPEARANCE AND SUSPECTED MURDER OF HARRY HOUSTON

Posted on 30/10/2020

Whyalla resident Harry Houston has been missing since 30 October 2009 and is presumed to have been murdered.

Mr Houston regularly wore a Geelong Football Club baseball cap and would attend the Monarch Pharmacy in the Westlands Shopping Centre each morning.

While detectives know Mr Houston collected his methadone at 9am on 30 October 2009, the next sighting of him was two hours later at 11am when he saw his son.

At midday he visited a female friend at Whyalla and was in good spirits, having won $800 on the pokies the previous day.

He left her house about 12.30pm and vanished.

At 1pm, his distinctive red Toyota 4Runner was seen sitting in the driveway of the home occupied by the man suspected of murdering him – who later told police that Mr Houston sold him the vehicle.

The vehicle remained there until it was seized by police on Sunday 1 November 2009.

Mr Houston had been planning a road trip with his son to Darwin to celebrate a relative’s birthday before he disappeared.

Detectives believe it is most likely Mr Houston’s body was dumped in scrub within a short distance of Whyalla because there was only a 30-minute window between the last sighting of him and the sighting of his car at the suspect’s home.

Police believe the prime suspect in this case also holds the key to solving the cold case disappearance and suspect murder of Pennington woman Karen Morton in 2002.

Neither missing person knew the other but both were closely associated with the suspect.

A reward of up to $200,000 is on offer to anyone who either provides information leading to the recovery of his remains or information leading to a conviction in the case.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or at www.crimestopperssa.com.au