Allegation of serial killer calls for investigation into unsolved murders

A large number of unsolved murders in one state may be partly the work of serial killers and require an extensive special investigation, a lawmaker said.

Approximately 67 women disappeared or lost their lives, never to be found again, in the unsolved murders that have occurred on the north coast of NSW since 1977.

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While police have ruled out links to a common criminal, north coast resident and MP Jeremy Buckingham said there was nothing like it anywhere else in Australia.

“This is a complete anomaly,” he told reporters on Tuesday.

“It is clear on every reading that there is a serial killer or serial killers operating on the north coast of NSW.”

Some of the murders were among the most violent, horrific murders imaginable; some women were dismembered and others were brutalized.

But the Marijuana Legalization Party MP suspects that women’s cases are not being given due focus due to factors such as being poor, indigenous and regionally based.

He called for a special commission of inquiry into outstanding cases and said it should be modeled on the recently completed investigation into unsolved suspected hate crime deaths of LGBTQI people in NSW between 1970 and 2010.

This investigation found that NSW Police had historically failed to properly investigate past cases of gay and transgender hate crime.

“If you look at the modus operandi of these murders there are striking similarities,” Mr Buckingham said.

“Rape, torture, murder and dismemberment – ​​these are incredibly rare crimes and finding it again and again on the north coast is incredibly worrying.”

Rewards of up to $1 million will be offered for information in at least 16 of the unsolved cases.

But NSW Police have denied serial killer claims.

The report said a number of investigations were carried out into the disappearances of women on the north coast, including a five-year investigation into the 1979 disappearance of teenagers Robyn Hickie and Amanda Robinson and the 1994 abduction of 16-year-old Gordana Kotevski.

A police spokesman said: “To date, there is no evidence to suggest a common culprit is responsible for the disappearances.”

“This matter remains under investigation by the State Crime Command Homicide Unsolved Homicide Squad and the Missing Persons Squad.”

NSW Premier Chris Minns has rejected calls for a special commission of inquiry.

“We have incredibly committed homicide detectives whose job it is to investigate this information,” he said.

“We will respond if Parliament decides to go a different route, but I have great faith in the professionalism and commitment of NSW Police.”

Written by: Luke COSTIN, AAP