Robert William SIMMONS

 

 

 

Missing since: 
Saturday, February 28, 1987
Last seen: 
Mordialloc VIC
Responsible jurisdiction: 
VIC
Year of birth: 
1965
 
Gender: 
Male
Height: 
178cm
Hair: 
Golden
Brown
Eyes: 
Blue

 

 

Circumstances

Robert Simmons has been missing since mid-1987.
Robert was in the Royal Australian Navy between the periods 1984 and 1986 (Cerberus). Between 1975 and 1984, Robert lived in Mordialloc, Victoria where he attended Parkdale Secondary College.
During 1987, he lived briefly in St Kilda before travelling to Sydney with a friend.
Robert’s car was found abandoned in NSW, and his bank account has remained untouched since this time.
If you have information that may assist police to locate Robert please call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

 

Robert's story comes from his sister Patricia who has tirelessly searched for her brother for decades -

Robert was in the Royal Australian Navy in 1986, then became unwell and was transferred to a mental hospital (Larudel) and diagnosed with Schizophrenia. He was discharged from the Navy on medical grounds and placed on a pension by them. I last saw him on 28.2.87, which was my wedding day.. he told me that day he was going to queensland. He had a backpack with him and then left. Roberts bank accounts remained untouched from 1987, there was money being put in his account by the Navy (invalid pension) and to date, this money is in unclaimed monies fund.navro

I reported Robert missing to the police they have him now in the long term missing area.. I provided DNA a couple of years ago as they were matching up missing persons with unidentified bodies- there was no match. The Salvation Army looked for him. I tried a psychic who told me he was living in Queensland and had 2 children? (I provided them no information for them to come up with that) Robert was using drugs at the time he went missing, which makes it odd that his bank accounts remained untouched, he would have accessed that money if he could.. someone named Colin Hayes told one of my brothers in 1994 that he was 'sorry to hear about Robert drowning'.. i have tried to find Colin Hayes so i could get more information about this.. the police have not been able to substantiate this .. no bodies that were found in water related accidents.. it appears that Colin Hayes is the last person who knows of Roberts whereabouts..Colin Hayes was someone who Robert went to school with, he previously living in Mordialloc and then moved to Perth.

Feb 1987 Robert attended 29 Scarlet Street, Mordialloc. This was Patricia Simmons wedding day – he told Patricia he was hitchhiking to Queensland and that he was going to work on a fishing trawler. Robert had a back pack with him, I asked him to stay, he didn’t want to. According to Margaret Simmons, Robert told her he was going to Sydney?
27 Nov 1987 Robert failed to attend a Medical Appointment with the Royal Australia Navy in relation to his ongoing invalidity payments (discharged on medical grounds)
1988 Missing Person Report lodged by Patricia Simmons.
1989 Missing Persons Report lodged by Patricia Simmons. Police advised that Robert was an adult, no suspicious circumstances, not much they could do, keep reporting him as missing person.
Nov 1994 Tony Simmons reported to Patricia Simmons that he had ‘bumped into’ a friend of Roberts whilst holidaying in Cairns. Tony reported that this friend (Colin Hayes) informed Tony that he ‘was sorry to hear that Robert drowned in the late 80s in Sydney’. According to Tony, Colin told him that Robert drowned in a river. Tony did not obtain any other information from Colin Hayes, only that Colin Hayes lives somewhere in Perth.
1997 Patricia Simmons engaged a solicitor to find Robert. Checks done of water related deaths in Victoria and NSW during this period – none.
Feb 1997 Patricia Simmons contacted Salvation Army Tracing Service – they looked between 1997 and 2000 and were unable to locate Robert or provide any new information.
1997 Missing person report lodged again by Patricia Simmons.
Patricia spoke with Joe Herrech (Victoria Police). According to Joe, the file is left open with no finding. Joe checked with Federal Police, Coroners Court, Department of Human Services, Births Deaths and Marriages.
1997 Patricia Simmons contacted the Missing Persons Bureau. They told me to contact Police (Joe Herrech) who was holding the file.
1998 Salvation Army conducted death searches in Victoria, NSW and Queensland-no record.
2000 Detective Sergeant Jim Conomy at Homicide Squad MPU (9865 2826) contacted Patricia Simmons; Patricia Simmons provided any known information and photo of Robert. Jim Conomy informed Patricia that the following sources had been checked including: Centrelink, vehicle registration, drivers licence, local electricity and gas suppliers, rental agencies, CRA, dental records, next would try Interpol as Robert held a passport
2008 Dan Huisinvueld of the Cold Case Task Force managed the Missing Persons file (9611 8796) “Operations Belier” were investigating all Victoria missing persons / unidentified bodies, and attempting to match missing persons to unidentified bodies. Dan Huisinvueld obtained the dental records from the Royal Australian Navy – using 1983 dental x-ray.
Dan informed me that he may press for an inquest- everyone who knew him would be interviewed, Coroner would then make a decision.
Dan interviewed 2 people from the Boarding House (Oslo) they did not add a lot, only that Robert was using intravenous drugs at the time.
22.12.2009 Patricia Simmons and Tony Simmons provided DNA (mouth scraping) at Mornington Police Station to Glenn Holland (Senior Constable 33730) and A Creed (Senior Constable 33171).
2009 Glenn Holland advised Patricia Simmons that the file will be held at Frankston Police Station (Joe Herrich or Glenn Holland?)