Families tell of grief and police failures over loved ones and killer Ivan Milat

Lead

Families of missing persons in New South Wales have used the first public hearings of a state parliamentary inquiry to detail years of police failures and their fears that the disappearances of their loved ones may be linked to notorious serial killer Ivan Milat. The inquiry, which is examining unsolved murders and long-term missing persons' cases, heard emotional testimony from relatives who said they had waited decades for answers.

"Both my parents went to an early grave without answers or knowing what happened to their only daughter," Kevin Docherty told the inquiry, according to ABC Australia. Docherty's twin sister, Kay, was 15 when she disappeared near Wollongong in 1979. "They virtually died of a broken heart eight years apart," he added.

Coverage Comparison

Both ABC Australia and the BBC reported on the inquiry's first day of public hearings, focusing on the emotional testimony of families. ABC Australia highlighted the case of Kay Docherty, whose disappearance may be linked to Milat, while the BBC centered its report on Ricki Nash, the brother of Cheryl Grimmer, who disappeared from Fairy Meadow beach in 1970. Both outlets stressed the theme of police failure, though they drew on different cases to illustrate it.

Key Claims

Kay Docherty's Disappearance: Kevin Docherty told the inquiry that police first informed his family in 1979 that his twin sister was missing, but he said they wrote her off as a runaway. "As mum always said, when she went to that police station that night, there was one good cop, there was one bad cop," he said, according to ABC Australia. He also revealed that detectives made no contact with the family for 30 years until they reopened the cold case.

An inquest in 2013 found that Kay and her friend Toni Cavanagh likely died shortly after their disappearance, according to ABC Australia. The inquest reportedly found evidence suggesting either fugitive Graham Potter or Ivan Milat may have murdered them.

The search for Kay's body is ongoing in an area of scrubland, according to a claim from ABC Australia, though this has not been independently verified.

Cheryl Grimmer's Disappearance: Ricki Nash told the inquiry about his sister Cheryl, who was three when she disappeared from Fairy Meadow beach in January 1970, as reported by the BBC. Nash, who described Cheryl as "an amazing funny little girl," said the family has lived with the consequences of police failure for more than 50 years. "If [the police] had done their job in 1971, we would have known the truth years ago," he said.

A suspect was charged with Cheryl's abduction and murder in 2017, but the trial collapsed after the suspect's teenage confession was ruled inadmissible, according to the BBC. The man, known as "Mercury," denies any wrongdoing, and prosecutors dropped the case.

The BBC also reported on the disappearance of Keren Rowland in 1971, suggesting she may have been Milat's first victim. This claim was carried by a single outlet and has not been independently verified.

Perspectives

Families' Perspective: The families of missing persons expressed frustration with police handling of cases, saying they were dismissed or ignored for years. Kevin Docherty said he used to make excuses for the police, but now believes it is time their voices were heard. Ricki Nash echoed this sentiment, saying the family's 50-year wait for answers was due to police failures.

Police and Inquiry Perspective: The NSW parliamentary inquiry is examining unsolved murders and missing persons' cases, and its first day of public hearings focused on case histories. The inquiry has not yet released findings or recommendations, but it is expected to consider whether police failures contributed to the inability to solve these cases.

Possible Milat Connectivity: Both ABC Australia and the BBC noted that some disappearances may be linked to Ivan Milat, who was convicted of abducting, assaulting, and murdering at least seven victims between 1989 and 1992. However, the evidence linking Milat to these cases is preliminary, and the inquiry is expected to examine the extent of his possible involvement.

Corrections and Context

No corrections have been issued regarding these reports. The cases of Kay Docherty, Toni Cavanagh, Cheryl Grimmer, and Keren Rowland are among several being examined by the inquiry. The collapse of the trial in Cheryl Grimmer's case was due to the inadmissibility of a confession, not a lack of evidence against the suspect.