David John SUSHAMES
David John SUSHAMES
Date of Birth: 1961
Build: Medium
Height: 180 cm
Hair: Brown receeding shoulder length wavy hair and short
beard.
Eyes: Blue
Distinguishing Features/Other: None
Circumstances:
David John SUSHAMES, of Morris Avenue, Devonport, Tasmania. Reported missing on 6
November 2005. Last seen on late morning of Tuesday 1 November 2005 (Melbourne
Cup Day) at Morris Avenue Devonport and Tarleton Street East Devonport.
Concerns are held for his safety, Police are concerned for his welfare.
From Lester Lee's Coronial Findings -
41. In mid-April 2006 a review of the matter was conducted and the investigation renewed. The review seems to have been prompted, in part, by a desire to determine whether there was any connection between the apparent disappearances of Mr Lee and David John Sushames who was last seen alive in November 2005. The potential connection was thought to be a geographical one in the sense that both Mr Lee and Mr Sushames seem to have last been seen in the East Devonport area.
42. The only link between the pair (and their disappearances) was, after a comprehensive investigation, found to be only geographical. No other link, by reason of employment, social circles, relationships, involvement in any illegal (or legal) activity or in any other way was found. In summary, there is no evidence to suggest that the disappearances of the two men was in any way related.
43. However, as part of the investigation of Mr Sushames’ disappearance, and the quite reasonable desire to see if the two disappearances were linked, the potential involvement of Jeffrey Maxwell Norris in either or both disappearances was re-examined. He and his partner Ann-Marie Kelly were both re-interviewed by police on 24 May 2006. In his interview Mr Norris gave an account of his movements with Mr Lee on 19 December 2004 significantly different to the account that he gave in January 2005. Mr Norris admitted lying to police in his earlier accounts. He said that whilst the meeting with Mr Lee was, as he had previously said, pre-arranged, it was not arranged for the purpose of a game of eight-ball but rather to undertake a “drug run”. Mr Norris said that originally he and Mr Lee were to meet on the night of Friday, 17 December 2004 but that Mr Lee had a work function on that night so the meeting was suspended until the night of Sunday, 19 December 2004.
Missing man may be foul play victim
From: By Heather Low Choy - news.com.au
November 17, 2005
Tasmanian POLICE fear a Devonport man missing for more than two weeks may have
met with foul play.
David John Sushames, 44, has not been seen since he left a family member's East
Devonport home on November 1.
Mr Sushames usually maintains almost daily contact with his loved ones, says
Acting Detective Inspector Peter Powell.
"There was nothing to indicate there was anything going on in his life that
would make him want to disappear," Insp Powell said. "His disappearance is a
mystery. It is strange."
He said it was a major concern that Mr Sushames, who lives alone in a unit, had
not been in touch with his children.
He had not used his bank account or mobile phone since November 1.
There is nothing solid to indicate anything untoward has happened to him but we
are going to be making extensive inquiries," he said.
Mr Sushames is 177cm tall, of slim build, with fair complexion and blue eyes,
brown receding shoulder-length hair and possibly a short beard.
Anyone who thinks they may have seen Mr Sushames should phone Devonport CIB on
6421 7537 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 005 555.
Date published: Thursday, November 17, 2005.
Author: ELIZA YOUNG
Missing link?
POLICE investigating the disappearance of a Devonport man early this month have
not ruled out a possible link with another mystery disappearance almost 12
months ago.
Both men were last seen in Tarleton St, East Devonport.
Police hold grave fears for David John Sushames, 44, who was last seen walking
in Tarleton St about 1pm on November 1.
North Motton man Lester Lee, 41, was last seen on the corner of Tarleton St and
Torquay Rd on December 19 last year.
Devonport CIB Acting Detective Inspector Peter Powell said the men shared
similar characteristics although there was nothing at this stage to suggest they
knew each other.
"Both men are of similar age, and are both single living men who were both last
seen in the same area," Det-Insp Powell said.
"But ... in looking at their backgrounds there's nothing to suggest the two men
are linked in any way. It's just a bit of a coincidence, I think."
Police have exhausted all leads in the search for Mr Sushames, who has not
accessed his bank account or used his mobile phone since the day of his
disappearance.
"There's nothing to suggest there has been foul play but there's also no reason
he would disappear like this his family say it's totally out of character,"
Inspector Powell said.
"We're fairly worried about him and obviously his family are very concerned."
Mr Sushames lives alone in Devonport, does not work and shares joint custody of
two children with his estranged wife.
He is due to appear in the Devonport Magistrate Court next January on
drug-related charges. Police do not believe the charges relate to Mr Sushames'
disappearance.
Lester Lee remains an active entry on the police missing person's list.
Anyone with information can contact Devonport CIB on 64217537 or Crimestoppers
on 1800005555.
Date published: Friday, November 25, 2005.
Author: SEAN FORD
Police act on sightings
POLICE will set up a mobile station at Railton on Tuesday as they continue their
hunt for missing man David John Sushames.
Police are investigating a range of reported sightings of the 44-year-old
Devonport man, last seen on Melbourne Cup Day.
They said yesterday they were keen to talk to anyone who saw him in Morris
Avenue, Devonport; Tarleton St, East Devonport, on the afternoon of November 1;
or the Railton area on the afternoon of November 1.
"There was some indication he was going to Railton," Inspector Matt McCreadie
said yesterday.
"We can't find who, if anyone, he was going to see."
He said police would set up a mobile station at Railton on Tuesday in the hope
of "sparking up the interest of anyone who may have seen him".
Mr Sushames was last seen in Tarleton St on November 1.
He is described as being of slim build, 177cm, with a fair complexion, blue
eyes, a short beard and receding brown, shoulder-length hair.
Inspector McCreadie said the disappearances of Mr Sushames and North Motton man
Lester Lee were being treated as separate.
"There appears to be no link as far as we can see to Lester Lee."
Mr Lee was last seen on the corner of Tarleton St and Torquay Rd last December.
Mr Sushames was facing drug charges, relating to amphetamines.
Inspector McCreadie said he did not know of Mr Lee having any drug involvement.
He said he would not suggest either man's disappearance was drug related.
Unconfirmed sightings of Mr Sushames in Hobart had been largely discounted, he
said.
Date published: Wednesday, December 28, 2005.
Author: SEAN FORD
Search for new clues
DEVONPORT CIB is reviewing its investigations into two North-West
disappearances, as officers seek answers on the fate of Lester Lee and David
Sushames.
They are looking for anything they might have overlooked or which provides a new
clue.
Mr Lee, of North Motton, was last seen in the Tarleton St area at East Devonport
on December 19, 2004.
Mr Sushames, of East Devonport, was last seen in Tarleton St on November 1 this
year.
"We are still expending a lot of time on both cases," Inspector Matt McCreadie
said yesterday.
"We are still treating both with priority and putting a lot of time in
investigating all aspects of both."
Inspector McCreadie said police had investigated several unpleasant rumours
about what happened to the men and regarded them as improbable.
He asked people to provide any genuine information and not to "be taken with
some of the more outlandish rumours".
He said police were still treating the two disappearances as separate, but were
looking for any possible links.
There was talk Mr Sushames had been going to Railton on November 1.
Police subsequently placed a mobile station at the town, but turned up nothing.
Inspector McCreadie said police were keen to hear from anyone who knew if Mr
Sushames was there that day and anything about his movements or who he might
have met.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Devonport police on 64217511
There are seven long-term missing Tasmanians who are being brought back to the public’s attention as part of National Missing Persons Week. SEE THE CASES >>
JUDY Sushames has no doubt that her brother David – missing for 16 years – met with foul play.
But she and her 91-year-old mother Margaret are resigned to the fact they may never know what happened to the father of two.
David Sushames was 44 when he was last seen at a family member’s Devonport home on Melbourne Cup day on November 1, 2005. His family said his disappearance was out of character and police also suspect foul play.
“It has been terrible for mum, she didn’t cope well at the time and now she doesn’t say much,” Ms Sushames said.
“It was definitely foul play. David was involved with some pretty terrible people and I wonder what they did to him and what they put him through.”
Ms Sushames is 15 months older than her missing brother and says not knowing what has happened to him is “really hard”.
“We were both very close as kids, probably because we were both adopted.
“My kids thought the world of him, especially my two daughters.
“It is so hard for mum because we’re not really expecting any answers now.”
Mr Sushames, who would have turned 60 in January, is one of seven long-term missing Tasmanians who are being brought to attention as part of National Missing Persons Week which starts on Sunday.
On average about 125 Tasmanians go missing every year with more than 97 per cent found.
Sergeant John Delpero has worked in Tasmania Police’s Missing Persons Unit for three years and sees the grief families experience every day.
He says Missing Persons Week is a time to remember all missing persons and the pain felt by their families and loved ones.
“They expect and deserve answers,” Sgt Delpero said.
“If anybody has any information on any missing person, now is the time to step up and report it to police or Crime Stoppers.
“Their loved ones expect and deserve some kind of closure.”
Judy Sushames hasn't seen or heard from her brother David since 2005.
He went missing after visiting a family member's home - vanishing without a trace.
The disappearance was heart-breaking. The pair, who were both adopted and only 15 months apart in age, were inseparable as children.
"We were really close, really close," Ms Sushames said.
David's disappearance is described by police as out of character, with foul play suspected.
It's a theory Ms Sushames agrees with - while she was not in regular contact with her brother, this was unlike what he would do.
"He had a block of land at Sheffield (on Tasmania's north west coast), he was going to build a house up there," she said.
"I'd nearly bet my last cent that he's come to foul play, because it wasn't like him to just disappear. He'd keep in contact every now and
again and he had two kids.
"He wouldn't have just left. There were no Centrelink transactions, no bank
transactions - just nothing."
Not knowing what happened to her brother Ms Sushames said was challenging, and something that impacted her to this day.
Ms Sushames said theories and rumours about David's disappearance had floated around over the years, and that her and her mother, who is now 91 years old, just wanted answers about what happened - no matter how painful they were.
"It's hard, it's really really hard," she said.
"It niggles me all the time. I don't know, and I'll never know.
We know he's not still alive because he would have been in contact, he wouldn't have done this to us.
"I just want some answers ... I don't want to know really what happened to
him, but on the other hand I do want to know for closure."
The pain of losing David had eased throughout the years, with dates and
anniversaries slowly hurting less as time passed on, but something the
family said will never truly go away.
Ms Sushames said she believed there were people out there that knew
something about her brother's disappearance, and that there were people that
could contribute to the investigation of his case.
"It's always in the back of your mind, what's happened to him," she said.
"Someone out there knows something."
David is one of 168 long-term missing people in the state, dating back to the 1950s, and is one of seven being highlighted by Tasmania Police during National Missing Persons Week.
Sergeant John Delpero, from the Tasmania Police Missing Persons Unit, said
the week of action was aimed at profiling long-term missing persons, and
raising awareness of the issue.
"While a number of missing persons will be highlighted this week, it is important that we remember all our missing persons and the pain felt by their families and loved ones," he said.