Unsolved Disappearance Murder of 14yo Marilyn Wallman of McKay - INQUEST

[Kurve]

A new inquest will re-examine the disappearance of a schoolgirl in north Queensland, one of Australia's longest-standing cold cases.

Marilyn Joy Wallman was 14 when she vanished from an isolated stretch of road in Mackay while riding her bicycle in March 1972.

Only a fragment of bone from Marilyn's body has ever been found and despite a $250,000 reward, police investigations and public pleas, no-one has ever been charged.

On March 21, 1972, Marilyn's younger brothers recalled her cycling off from home at the farm along a stretch of rural road set beside a paddock full of sugar cane.

The three siblings were trying to catch the 8am bus to school at the junction of Wallman and Eimeo Road.

Rex and David were about 10 minutes behind their sister and hoped to catch up with her, but they never did.

Instead, they found her pushbike on the side of the road and her school bag half-opened.

In 1974, a partial skull was found near McGregor Creek, about 40 kilometres from where Marilyn disappeared.

It wasn't until 2015 that a fragment of that skull was confirmed by the Queensland Coroner as belonging to Marilyn.

New inquest to seek answers over suspected kidnapping, murder of Queensland schoolgirl in 1972

Marilyn Joy Wallman was 14 when she vanished from an isolated stretch of road while riding her bicycle in Mackay. More than 50 years later, her family is desperate for answers.

www.abc.net.au

 

[Kurve]

Arthur Stanley Brown, charged with the 1970 murders of the Mackay sisters was up that way. The sisters were also on their way to the bus stop when they were abducted.

 

[Lyn]

Arthur Stanley Brown, charged with the 1970 murders of the Mackay sisters was up that way. The sisters were also on their way to the bus stop when they were abducted.

Certainly a possibility. I wonder why he wasn't found guilty at the first trial.
Born in 1912, he would have been too old for the Beaumont Children and probably the Adelaide Oval

 

[Kurve]

Certainly a possibility. I wonder why he wasn't found guilty at the first trial.

He couldn't be tried due to his advanced age and mental decline, he had dementia.

 

[Lyn]

He couldn't be tried due to his advanced age and mental decline, he had dementia.

I thought that was for the second trial

 

[Kurve]

Born in 1912, he would have been too old for the Beaumont Children and probably the Adelaide Oval

Brown was almost certainly responsible for the 1970 Mackay sisters abduction/murders, he would have been 58yo at the time. 54yo when the Beaumont children went missing and 61yo at the time of the Adelaide abductions.

 

[Kurve]

I thought that was for the second trial

It was a hung jury first go.

Trial and death[edit]​

The trial of Brown for the murders of the Mackay sisters began on 18 October 1999. Although evidence regarding Brown's paedophilia had been given at the committal hearing it had been ruled prejudicial at trial and therefore could not be put before the Supreme Court jury. The jury were unable to reach a decision on the strong but circumstantial evidence. Trial was set for 25 July 2000, when the defence argued Brown was unfit to plead and a new trial was set for 31 July, but before it could start newspapers reported that "the case did not proceed for legal reasons which cannot be published". The court suppressed release of the legal reasons until July 2001.[24]

In 2001, it was revealed that Brown's lawyer had applied for a section 613 verdict from the jury which meant that Brown would have been considered unfit to be tried. The jury had rejected the application, but in the meantime Brown's wife, Charlotte, had referred the case to the Queensland Mental Health Tribunal who ruled that Brown had progressive dementia and was also suffering from Alzheimer's disease, and was thus unfit to stand trial. The Attorney-General lodged an appeal and the court concluded that the tribunal did not have the jurisdiction to overrule the jury and commissioned an independent psychiatric report. In July 2001, the report concluded that Brown was unfit to stand trial because he was suffering from dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Although the psychiatric report could not overrule the courts finding that the trial could proceed, Queensland's Director of Public Prosecutions, Leanne Clare, announced on 3 July that her office had decided not to proceed with the retrial and all charges against Brown were dropped.[24]

His wife, Charlotte, died in April 2002. Ostracised by his family, Brown moved into a nursing home in Malanda, where he died three months later on 6 July, officially an innocent man. Brown left instructions that no funeral notices be placed and only one stepdaughter had knowledge of the funeral details. His death was not reported until several weeks after the funeral.[25]

 

[Lyn]

Brown was almost certainly responsible for the 1970 Mackay sisters abduction/murders, he would have been 58yo at the time. 54yo when the Beaumont children went missing and 61yo at the time of the Adelaide abductions.

All witnesses for the Beaumont's said the man they were with, was much younger. He certainly wasn't a young man. As did witnesses for the Adelaide Oval.

 

[Kurve]

All witnesses for the Beaumont's said the man they were with, was much younger. He certainly wasn't a young man. As did witnesses for the Adelaide Oval.

I think there are a few sightings of the Beaumont children with youngish men, the descriptions seem to change around a bit.

I'm not pushing Brown as a suspect but he was known to go to Adelaide and he does have some similarities to the man who was seen with the two girls at Adelaide Oval.

 

[Lyn]

It was a hung jury first go.

Trial and death[edit]​

The trial of Brown for the murders of the Mackay sisters began on 18 October 1999. Although evidence regarding Brown's paedophilia had been given at the committal hearing it had been ruled prejudicial at trial and therefore could not be put before the Supreme Court jury. The jury were unable to reach a decision on the strong but circumstantial evidence. Trial was set for 25 July 2000, when the defence argued Brown was unfit to plead and a new trial was set for 31 July, but before it could start newspapers reported that "the case did not proceed for legal reasons which cannot be published". The court suppressed release of the legal reasons until July 2001.[24]

In 2001, it was revealed that Brown's lawyer had applied for a section 613 verdict from the jury which meant that Brown would have been considered unfit to be tried. The jury had rejected the application, but in the meantime Brown's wife, Charlotte, had referred the case to the Queensland Mental Health Tribunal who ruled that Brown had progressive dementia and was also suffering from Alzheimer's disease, and was thus unfit to stand trial. The Attorney-General lodged an appeal and the court concluded that the tribunal did not have the jurisdiction to overrule the jury and commissioned an independent psychiatric report. In July 2001, the report concluded that Brown was unfit to stand trial because he was suffering from dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Although the psychiatric report could not overrule the courts finding that the trial could proceed, Queensland's Director of Public Prosecutions, Leanne Clare, announced on 3 July that her office had decided not to proceed with the retrial and all charges against Brown were dropped.[24]

His wife, Charlotte, died in April 2002. Ostracised by his family, Brown moved into a nursing home in Malanda, where he died three months later on 6 July, officially an innocent man. Brown left instructions that no funeral notices be placed and only one stepdaughter had knowledge of the funeral details. His death was not reported until several weeks after the funeral.[25]

So they had a hung jury, based on too much circumstantial evidence. You would think there wou

I think there are a few sightings of the Beaumont children with youngish men, the descriptions seem to change around a bit.

I'm not pushing Brown as a suspect but he was known to go to Adelaide and he does have some similarities to the man who was seen with the two girls at Adelaide Oval.

We do have to keep an open mind, for all low life's.

 

[Kurve]

We do have to keep an open mind, for all low life's.

I've seen reports of Brown doing push ups and chin ups in to his seventies, of course he looked almost carked it at the end but apparently he looked very young and fit for his age prior.

 

[Lyn]

I've seen reports of Brown doing push ups and chin ups in to his seventies, of course he looked almost carked it at the end but apparently he looked very young and fit for his age prior.

Oh, that's interesting .

 

[Angry Red Bull]

Arthur Stanley Brown, charged with the 1970 murders of the Mackay sisters was up that way. The sisters were also on their way to the bus stop when they were abducted.

Brown lived in Townsville..Mackay is 4 hr
drive further north. He has always been considered possible perpetrator for this murder. At one stage there was a theory
that he used school holidays as his time to commit these crimes. Both AO case and Mackay sister murders were late
August in different years 1970, 1973.
Brown worked as a maintenance guy at the school where Mackay sisters were. Staff records were lost in 1984 floods I
recall so unable to track his whereabouts that way. This one is late March 72.

I think it is interesting that there is a grouping starting 66 through 73. Abduction of multiple children as MO is extremely rare. In a way that links Beaumont to AO to Mackay sisters..Seemingly shows that the killer was unconcerned at higher risk of being caught potentially indicative of sociopathy. So though not his first choice he wasn't put off by that risk

 

[geoffjennings79]

Brown lived in Townsville..Mackay is 4 hr
drive further north. He has always been considered possible perpetrator for this murder. At one stage there was a theory
that he used school holidays as his time to commit these crimes. Both AO case and Mackay sister murders were late
August in different years 1970, 1973.
Brown worked as a maintenance guy at the school where Mackay sisters were. Staff records were lost in 1984 floods I
recall so unable to track his whereabouts that way. This one is late March 72.

I think it is interesting that there is a grouping starting 66 through 73. Abduction of multiple children as MO is extremely rare. In a way that links Beaumont to AO to Mackay sisters..Seemingly shows that the killer was unconcerned at higher risk of being caught potentially indicative of sociopathy. So though not his first choice he wasn't put off by that risk

Mackay is 4.5 hours SOUTH of Townsville. Cairns is north.
Does this tie in with Madeleine McCann and population density in Gaza?

 

[Angry Red Bull]

Mackay is 4.5 hours SOUTH of Townsville. Cairns is north.
Does this tie in with Madeleine McCann and population density in Gaza?

No offense mate but this is pretty juvenile and doesn't affect me one bit. it staggers me that there are soooo many on this site who feel threatened simply because another person can have different views and belief systems to the point they are compelled to ridicule. Shake my head. Don't be another one please. Your choice though If it appeases hurt pride somehow. Either way I'm unaffected.







.

 

[Lyn]

Mackay is 4.5 hours SOUTH of Townsville. Cairns is north.
Does this tie in with Madeleine McCann and population density in Gaza?

Most members of these threads have genuine input and desire for these cases to be solved. It is always possible to get exact locations or dates exact.
I find your comment belittling and very disrespectful.
It is great for members to add to the commentary, but please remember these subject are serious.

 

[Angry Red Bull]

Muderpedia discusses possible Arthur Brown involvement. He together with other family visited Mackay at or about the time. His Vauxhall Victor broke down and they all had to return to Townsville by train. He returned to fix the car alone. Murderpedia suggests the times don’t match and therefore he can’t be the perpetrator. it will be interesting what emerges from the inquest

 

[Lyn]

Muderpedia discusses possible Arthur Brown involvement. He together with other family visited Mackay at or about the time. His Vauxhall Victor broke down and they all had to return to Townsville by train. He returned to fix the car alone. Murderpedia suggests the times don’t match and therefore he can’t be the perpetrator. it will be interesting what emerges from the inquest

Murderpedia, I will have to look at this one.

 

[rubytoad]

So there’s Brown as a good suspect (possibly). But are there any other names that have been mentioned or someone that could be a good fit, possibly?

Was it a grab and go or an offer of a lift?

I can’t remember if the brother’s saw any other vehicles on the road at the time.

I really hope this gets solved one day and soon, and I truly hope she passed with no pain or fear (although highly unlikely sadly)

Poor darlin




On iPad using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[geoffjennings79]

Most members of these threads have genuine input and desire for these cases to be solved. It is always possible to get exact locations or dates exact.
I find your comment belittling and very disrespectful.
It is great for members to add to the commentary, but please remember these subject are serious.

I take these forums very seriously, and my only offence was intended to that poster. Their error is symptomatic of basic errors they've made in exchanges we've had in other threads, but I agree this thread isn't the place for it.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

There were many followers of Brown's crimes that had him red-hot for this. Who knows. She does perhaps appear a touch old for his patterns, though he's an obvious offender. Unsure if he can be placed near the crime.

Arthur Brown - serial killer?

Links of interest. Adelaide Oval Abductions

www.bigfooty.com

Fourteen year old Wallman disappeared in Eimeo, Queensland on her way to school in March 1974.

Witnesses reported seeing a blue Vauxhall in the area at the time. Brown and his wife, Hester, had been to visit relatives in Mackay, however Brown's Vauxhall had broken down and the couple returned home by train, with Brown returning to Mackay alone to pick up the car. Depending on some variables, police believe it possible that Brown was passing through Eimeo (around 10km from Mackay) at the time of the disappearance.

Wallman was never seen again and no body was ever found.