DOB - 1965 (20 years old when missing)
Height - 178cm
Dark brown, shoulder
length, straight hair; brown eyes. Fair complexion. She is of medium build.
Clothing: When last seen she was wearing
a blue shirt and a long sleeved blouse in a brown/cream/blue check. Her large
black leather hand bag with shoulder strap is also missing.
Sharron Phillips was last seen at about 11pm on 8 May 1986 at a telephone box
near the Wacol Railway Station. She had walked there to ring for assistance
after her yellow coloured Datsun bluebird sedan had run out of petrol on Ipswich
Road near the entrance to the Wacol Migrant Centre. A person matching her
description was seen by a number of people between the Wacol Railway Station and
where her car was located off Ipswich Road. Sharron Phillips has not been heard
from since that time and her body has never been located. Any member of the
public with information which could assist Police is asked to contact:Crime
Stoppers on 1800 333 000
Cops hope killer Valmae Faye Beck will confess to
more
By Nadine McGrath
May 17, 2008 11:50am
Article from: AAP
THE condition of convicted child killer Valmae Faye Beck, formerly known
as Fay Cramb, has improved and it is believed she is out of a coma.
The Department of Corrective services said Beck was now in a stable
condition in the Townsville General Hospital.
Beck was in a medically induced coma following complications with heart
surgery.
It is believed she is out of the coma but still not speaking.
Beck and her former husband Barrie Watts were jailed for life in 1987 for
the torture and murder of Noosa schoolgirl Sian Kingi.
Cold case detectives want to interview the 64-year-old high security
prisoner over more unsolved crimes, hoping for confessions as she faces her own
mortality.
Detectives believe the notorious criminal may know the fate of several
unsolved cases involving young girls and women across Australia.
In August 1995 a Supreme Court jury in Brisbane acquitted Watts of murder
and a lesser charge of manslaughter in relation to the death of a woman whose
body has never been found.
Watts pleaded not guilty to murdering Helen Mary Feeney, a 31-year-old
student, between October 29 and December 1, 1987.
Beck testified that Watts had dumped Ms Feeney's body and burned it at a
rubbish tip near Lowood, west of Brisbane.
But detectives believe the body was actually disposed of elsewhere and
Beck knows the location.
Beck has been questioned about the disappearance of 14-year-old Sophie
Helen Woodman, who went missing on March 21, 1980, after leaving her Perth home
with a girlfriend and travelling to the eastern states.
She and Watts have been linked to the murders of
Sharron Phillips, 20, in Brisbane's outer west, Stella Mary Farrugia, 19,
and Louise Bell, 10, in Adelaide.
Treatment of morbidly obese Beck sparked a public outcry with Premier Anna
Bligh forced to defend her rights to taxpayer-funded health care.
"While I understand that people might have some questions about this, in
this country we don't have a death penalty - we do provide medical services to
people who are in our prisons,'' Ms Bligh told reporters in Brisbane.
Two prison officers have been posted at Beck's hospital bedside with
concern she may be a target for reprisals rather than posing any threat given
her medical condition.
Murderer takes her secrets to the grave
THE notorious child killer Valmae Faye Beck, formerly known as Fay Cramb,
has died in hospital, Queensland's Acting Police Minister, Robert Schwarten,
said yesterday.
Beck was admitted to a Townsville hospital earlier this month suffering
difficulty in breathing and chest pains.
She was placed in a medically induced coma following complications with
heart surgery.
Beck and her former husband Barrie Watts were jailed for life in 1987 for
the torture and murder of a Noosa schoolgirl, Sian Kingi.
Detectives, seeking deathbed confessions, were hoping to interview the
64-year-old high-security prisoner over more unsolved crimes.
Detectives believed the notorious criminal may have known the fate of
several unsolved cases involving young girls and women across Australia,
including the death of Helen Mary Feeney, a 31-year-old student, between October
29 and December 1, 1987.
Beck gave evidence that Watts had dumped Ms Feeney's body and burnt it at
a rubbish tip near Lowood, west of Brisbane.
Watts was acquitted of the murder, but police believe Beck knew exactly
where Ms Feeney's body was buried.
Today, Mr Schwarten, who is the acting Police Minister while Judy Spence
is overseas, confirmed Beck had died in Townsville General Hospital without
having regained consciousness.
"She got a life sentence and it turned out to be that," Mr Schwarten said.
"Right until the end, she was of no assistance to police. Harsh as it may
sound, and people may judge me on that, I don't think there will be many
Queenslanders who would shed a tear in her direction and there would be some who
would cheer."
Beck and Watts moved from Western Australia to Queensland when they
embarked on an eight-week crime rampage that ended with the abduction, torture,
rape and murder of Sian. "There are a number of other unsolved cases that
involve similarities to the well-planned killing of Sian," a police source said.
Queensland's Police Commissioner, Bob Atkinson, is expected to give a
statement this week on Beck's death.
AAP
Fears Valmae Beck killed other 'blonde virgins'
May 10, 2008 03:15am
Article from:
DETECTIVES believe child killer Valmae Beck may secretly hold the key to
the disappearance of Brisbane shop assistant Sharron Phillips - one of
Queensland's most enduring murder mysteries - as well as several unsolved
interstate cases involving missing "petite blonde virgins".
In an unthinkable crime spree in the 80s, Australia's most reviled female
inmate and her child rapist former husband Barrie Watts stalked young female
victims who fitted the image of their sick, sacrificial virgin fantasy.
Both were jailed for life for the abduction, torture, rape and murder of
schoolgirl innocent Sian Kingi, 12, and the morbidly obese mother-of-six has
admitted they killed and burnt the body of mother-of-one Helen Feeney.
Yesterday the 64-year-old high-security prisoner showed slight signs of
improvement in Townsville Hospital's intensive care ward, offering a glimmer
of hope to investigators that the critically ill patient may emerge from an
induced coma and make a deathbed confession "about the others".
Prison sources have revealed her health went into serious decline and
she was put on suicide watch when questioned about her possible links to the
murders of Phillips, 20, in Brisbane's outer west; Stella Mary Farrugia, 19,
and Louise Bell, 10, in Adelaide; and Sophie Woodman, 14, of Western
Australia.
The missing girls are among half a dozen cases listed on the Australian
Federal Police website fitting the profile revealed by child killers Beck and
Watts of their obsession with "pretty little virgins". Most are petite, young
and blonde.
Townsville's Regional Crime Co-ordinator Detective Inspector Warren
Webber, who has detectives on standby to take a confession if Beck shows signs
of waking, said they hoped she might want to absolve her guilt before dying.
Insp Webber said the pair could be linked to several unsolved attempted
abductions and murders, including the baffling disappearance of Phillips.
"There were a quite a few abductions and young girls who went missing in
the 80s," he said.
"There is a great deal of interest in Beck because she may hold the key
to solving a number of unsolved crimes and helping us locate their bodies.
"We can only hope she has an epiphany while lying on her death bed and
comes clean.
"Whether or not she has anything to add is up to her."
He said interstate police independently interviewed Beck about her
knowledge of other sex murders.
The husband-and-wife killers moved from Western Australia to Queensland
before they were caught for the horrific rape and killing of Sian on November
27, 1987. Taped conversations after they were arrested caught the pair asking
each other if they had confessed to police "about the others".
Phillips was last heard of late on May 8, 1986, when she telephoned her
boyfriend to help her after her car ran out of petrol at Wacol.
What secret is Valmae Beck keeping
about a mystery?
POLICE believe 64-year-old Valmae Beck may help them solve the
mystery of Sharron Phillips' disappearance, writes Peter Michael.
Detectives believe child killer Beck may secretly hold the key to the
disappearance of Brisbane shop assistant Phillips – one of Queensland's most
enduring murder mysteries – as well as several unsolved interstate cases
involving missing "petite blonde virgins".
In an unthinkable crime spree in the 80s, Australia's most reviled
female inmate and her child rapist former husband Barrie Watts stalked young
female victims who fitted the image of their sick, sacrificial virgin
fantasy.
Both were jailed for life for the abduction, torture, rape and murder
of schoolgirl innocent Sian Kingi, 12, and the morbidly obese mother-of-six
has admitted they killed and burnt the body of mother-of-one Helen Feeney.
Yesterday the 64-year-old high-security prisoner showed slight signs
of improvement in Townsville Hospital's intensive care ward, offering a
glimmer of hope to investigators that the critically ill patient may emerge
from an induced coma and make a deathbed confession "about the others".
Prison sources have revealed her health went into serious decline and
she was put on suicide watch when questioned about her possible links to the
murders of Phillips, 20, in Brisbane's outer west; Stella Mary Farrugia, 19,
and Louise Bell, 10, in Adelaide; and Sophie Woodman, 14, of Western
Australia.
The missing girls are among half a dozen cases listed on the
Australian Federal Police website fitting the profile revealed by child
killers Beck and Watts of their obsession with "pretty little virgins". Most
are petite, young and blonde.
Townsville's Regional Crime Co-ordinator Detective Inspector Warren
Webber, who has detectives on standby to take a confession if Beck shows
signs of waking, said they hoped she might want to absolve her guilt before
dying. Insp Webber said the pair could be linked to several unsolved
attempted abductions and murders, including the baffling disappearance of
Phillips.
"There were a quite a few abductions and young girls who went missing
in the 80s," he said.
"There is a great deal of interest in Beck because she may hold the
key to solving a number of unsolved crimes and helping us locate their
bodies.
"We can only hope she has an epiphany while lying on her death bed and
comes clean.
"Whether or not she has anything to add is up to her."
He said interstate police independently interviewed Beck about her
knowledge of other sex murders.
The husband-and-wife killers moved from Western Australia to
Queensland before they were caught for the horrific rape and killing of Sian
on November 27, 1987. Taped conversations after they were arrested caught
the pair asking each other if they had confessed to police "about the
others".
Phillips was last heard of late on May 8, 1986, when she telephoned
her boyfriend to help her after her car ran out of petrol at Wacol.
Phillips link 'unlikely'
Tony Moore | May 28, 2008 - 11:15AM - Brisbane Times
Detectives trying to solve the 1986 disappearance of Brisbane shop
assistant Sharron Phillips believe notorious child killers Valmae Beck
and Barrie Watts were in Western Australia when Sharron Phillips went
missing on the Ipswich Motorway, Commissioner Bob Atkinson said today.
He said detectives did not regard the pair as likely suspects.
Mr Atkinson spoke to media following the overnight death of Beck, who
underwent heart surgery three weeks ago but never fully regained
consciousness after being placed in an induced coma.
Beck and Watts were sentenced to life in prison for killing
12-year-old schoolgirl Sian Kingi at Noosa on November 27, 1987.
The pair were living in Lowood and two weeks earlier had tried to
abduct nurses from Ipswich Hospital, Commissioner Atkinson said, but
declined to speculate any further.
"I just find it difficult given the fact that they were so active,
so ruthless, so organised and I find it difficult to believe that the
only things they did, were the ones we know about," he said.
"We know about the two nurses at Ipswich on November 11, 1987. We
know about the young woman at Ipswich the next day. We know about Sian
Kingi and we know about Helen Feeney," he said.
"I just think that it is beyond the balance of probability that
all they ever did was what we found out about."
The notorious pair have been linked to the suspected murder of
20-year-old Ms Phillips, who disappeared after her car ran out of petrol
on the Ipswich Motorway at Wacol. Her body has never been found.
The reward for information on Sharron Phillips disappearance was
increased to $250,000 and an indemnity against prosecution is also
offered for any accomplice.
Beck also admitted killing and burning the body of mother-of-one
Helen Feeney - however, her body has also never been found, despite Beck
telling investigators that it was dumped in a rubbish bin at Lowood.
"I know there has been speculation about Sharron Phillips, but our
sense of it is that we didn't rate them highly as suspects for that,"
Commissioner Atkinson said.
"We think they were in Western Australia at the time ... and they
had been involved in criminal activity there, and I think they were both
on bail, " he said.
"They went across to Melbourne, bought the vehicle they used, in
Melbourne, traded vehicles and then came up here to Queensland.
"So we think they were in Western Australia at the time of Sharron
Phillips."
Superintendent Alan Bourke, who was a senior detective at Gympie
at the time of the Sian Kingi murder, said he had dealt with Beck from
1987 to the mid-1990s.
"And I have no doubt that I have extracted as much information
from her in relation to her activities that she would allow me to know.
"I am not saying that she didn't know more, but my efforts were
made to ascertain as much information from her about these events and
other events."
Police efforts to find the body of Ms Feeney - last seen in
October 1987 - now rest with Watts, who is still serving his life term
for Sian Kingi's murder.
Watts was acquitted in 1995 of Ms Feeney's death.
