A DEDICATED website focusing on some of the state's oldest cold case murder cases was launched this week by Victoria Police, with the hope the community can provide fresh information.
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The 30-year-old double murder of Fiona Burns and John Lee is one of five cases highlighted on the purpose-built hub that will hopefully bring increased public attention to some of the more than 200 unsolved deaths currently sitting within the Homicide Squad's files.
Following successful trials in Canada, the hub is the first of its kind in Australia.
Each case package promoted on the hub includes background on the investigation, a photograph of the victim and a personal appeal from the investigator to the public for information.
A link to Crime Stoppers has also been provided at the bottom of each case so information can be reported directly, easily, and confidentiality to police.
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Victoria Police Acting Deputy Commissioner Robert Hill said while many of the cases have been highlighted in the media, this is the first time a dedicated multimedia website has been established by Victoria Police.
"We recognise that there is a need to make sure that information on our unsolved investigations remains easily accessible to the public to give them the greatest possible opportunity to be solved, which is why we've developed this hub," he said.
"It's about providing a single source of truth and also reaching people who don't watch the news or pick up a newspaper anymore.
"Many people are now on social media and we need to particularly leverage that medium to assist us in investigating these cases."
The first five cases on the hub are as follows:
- The fatal shooting of 34-year-old Jane-Thurgood Dove outside her Niddrie home on 6 November, 1997;
- The murder of teenagers Fiona Burns and John Lee, who were last seen hitchhiking between Adelaide and Melbourne in October 1990;
- The brutal assault of Samantha Mizzi in St Kilda on 30 March, 1994;
- The death of 42-year-old Christopher Phillips at his Cheltenham home on 1 May, 1990; and
- The fatal shooting of Christos Saristavros in the car park of a licensed premises in Box Hill on 22 October, 2000.
Langwarrin teen Fiona Burns, then 15, and Adelaide's John Lee, 14, were found murdered on October 18, 1990.
They had last been seen at a truck stop in Bordertown, and their bodies were discovered in bushland near Kaniva.
Examinations revealed that both Fiona and John had been stabbed to death.
Anyone with information about any of these cases is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report at www.crimestoppers.com.au.
Visit the Homicide Squad Cold Case Hub at https://www.police.vic.gov.au/cold-cases.
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Ben Fraser
Ben is the Editor with the Wimmera Mail-Times, Stawell Times-News and Ararat Advertiser. Ben is the former chief of staff at the Portland Observer, a qualified teacher, and an Leadership Great South Coast alumni (2019).
Ben is the Editor with the Wimmera Mail-Times, Stawell Times-News and Ararat Advertiser. Ben is the former chief of staff at the Portland Observer, a qualified teacher, and an Leadership Great South Coast alumni (2019).
