Unsolved Gerard Ross - Abducted Kent st Rockingham WA 1997

Melsy

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It sounds like a car might of been a significant point. But who knows till we are told.

But two PoIs were “hot”. Detectives felt so strongly about these men that it divided the taskforce.

One man was written off early but came under renewed scrutiny when new information came to light. News Corp does not know the nature of that information.

Police were ready to charge one local man after they found blood traces in his car and evidence that blood had been washed off a wall in a room at his home where he kept model aeroplanes. But the cleaning agent used prevented DNA from being extracted. Blood traces were also found at the suspect’s parents’ house.

The Director of Public Prosecutions wasn’t satisfied there was enough proof to proceed with charges.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-01-17/gerard-ross-murder-cold-case-timeline/8187904
 

Happy Freo

LOL 42 years LOL
Aug 26, 2018
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14 October 1997 was a Tuesday.

School holidays.

What time was Gerard last sighted?

Unless they were on leave that day, not a regular 9-5er so it would seem.
 
Oct 12, 2017
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With the talk about Rockingham taxi driver Vernon Silich and his cop father, was the father in the Fremantle Detectives or work with the folowing officers at the time of Gerard's murder?

https://www.watoday.com.au/national...lers-are-still-out-there-20170922-gyn884.html

Ex-cop and former Labor minister Bob Kucera was the Commander of the Fremantle police district in 1997, which at the time took in the Rockingham area.
Although he was not in charge of the day to day running of the original investigation - codenamed Operation Shoalwater - he had overall supervision of the inquiry for a period of time.

"It was a unique case in that it was something that hadn't happened before, a young boy going missing," Mr Kucera recalled. "It was almost (as if) someone had just spirited him away.


Inspector Frances John Bradman took over the Shoalwater Taskforce from Det SS Miller from Child Abuse Unit at Fremantle Detective as he testified in a RC hearing on another case. https://www.slp.wa.gov.au/publicati...AF2F53EFBDC48256C32003886E2/$file/S020912.pdf

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Oct 12, 2017
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Seems the deaf and forgetful Robert George Silich was questioned in the same RC hearings, about covering up police assaults of suspects that occurred in Morley and Geralton Police Stations when he was in charge.

https://www.slp.wa.gov.au/publicati...5E9A4510E8448256CDA00120BBF/$file/S030219.pdf

Joined police in 1964, as a probationary constable. And after 4 years in uniform, went to the CIB, June 1968. And in the CIB for 23 years. During that time served in numerous squads. Retired in April 1996 just before retirement age at 54 and 4 days. You'd reached retirement age?---No. You retired for some other reason?---Yes. The then Commissioner, Bob Falconer, gave all commissioned officers an opportunity to retired and take a year's pay. I was going to retire at 55 but when I had an offer like that, I accepted it.

What squads did you pass through?---I was in the Breaking and Entering Squad, Company Fraud Squad and the Motor Squad, and just General Duties Squad. And the last 5 years of your career you were a commissioned officer serving where?---At Perth Regional Office, Central. Did you work for a period with Gary Higgins?---That's correct. Where?---At Geraldton CIB. When were you in Geraldton?---Well, Howe was charged with assault in 1979, and convicted in 1980 or 81, - - and, yeah; so that was all around 1980.

Had you worked with Detective Allen?---We were both in 79 Division in 1981.

And in late 1990 you were asked to investigate this particular matter (Assaults by Morley police officers)?---That's correct. Yes. And that request or direction came to you from Internal Affairs Unit?- - you conducted your investigation and prepared a report?---That's correct. And the report went from you to whom? - in Internals. Right. So it goes from you to your own superintendent and then Superintendent Selwood. Yes. So it goes from Superintendent Selwood then to the head of the CIB; is that right?---Yes. And who was that at the time?---Don Hancock. And from Mr Hancock, if it goes via that track, it then goes where?---Well, he - - he sends it back to Internals. Yes. All right. And the ultimate decision about whether the matter will go further or be written off is taken by whom?--- Well, that could have been done by either Hancock or Internals, and as in the report, they would advise that if they weren't happy they could complain to the Ombudsman, who could conduct further inquiries. Do you know if this matter went to the Ombudsman?---No. No, it did not.
 

Happy Freo

LOL 42 years LOL
Aug 26, 2018
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petedavo

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Seems the deaf and forgetful Robert George Silich was questioned in the same RC hearings, about covering up police assaults of suspects that occurred in Morley and Geralton Police Stations when he was in charge.

https://www.slp.wa.gov.au/publicati...5E9A4510E8448256CDA00120BBF/$file/S030219.pdf

Joined police in 1964, as a probationary constable. And after 4 years in uniform, went to the CIB, June 1968. And in the CIB for 23 years. During that time served in numerous squads. Retired in April 1996 just before retirement age at 54 and 4 days. You'd reached retirement age?---No. You retired for some other reason?---Yes. The then Commissioner, Bob Falconer, gave all commissioned officers an opportunity to retired and take a year's pay. I was going to retire at 55 but when I had an offer like that, I accepted it.

What squads did you pass through?---I was in the Breaking and Entering Squad, Company Fraud Squad and the Motor Squad, and just General Duties Squad. And the last 5 years of your career you were a commissioned officer serving where?---At Perth Regional Office, Central. Did you work for a period with Gary Higgins?---That's correct. Where?---At Geraldton CIB. When were you in Geraldton?---Well, Howe was charged with assault in 1979, and convicted in 1980 or 81, - - and, yeah; so that was all around 1980.

Had you worked with Detective Allen?---We were both in 79 Division in 1981.

And in late 1990 you were asked to investigate this particular matter (Assaults by Morley police officers)?---That's correct. Yes. And that request or direction came to you from Internal Affairs Unit?- - you conducted your investigation and prepared a report?---That's correct. And the report went from you to whom? - in Internals. Right. So it goes from you to your own superintendent and then Superintendent Selwood. Yes. So it goes from Superintendent Selwood then to the head of the CIB; is that right?---Yes. And who was that at the time?---Don Hancock. And from Mr Hancock, if it goes via that track, it then goes where?---Well, he - - he sends it back to Internals. Yes. All right. And the ultimate decision about whether the matter will go further or be written off is taken by whom?--- Well, that could have been done by either Hancock or Internals, and as in the report, they would advise that if they weren't happy they could complain to the Ombudsman, who could conduct further inquiries. Do you know if this matter went to the Ombudsman?---No. No, it did not.
Fortuitously, Bob Silich took an Early Retirement offer, before the corruption charges went to Court. Unfortunately it had no effect upon future fatal events.
http://thewest2.smedia.com.au/Olive...px?href=WAN/2008/04/10&id=Ar00500&sk=ABD6EDD5

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Melsy

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Melsy

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No sexual aspect to the crime. He was on holidays. Bashed to a pulp. Who bashes a young boy to a pulp and why?

Someone mentally disturbed. Someone who is angry...

What time was William Tyrell abducted? 10.00-10.30 on a week day. Friday.

"Gerard and his brother Malcolm left their holiday home on Kent Street at approximately 9.30am on October 14, 1997" (Tuesday)

"Shortly after passing 99 Kent Street, Gerard went missing."
 
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Melsy

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Weekday (Tuesday) on school holidays.

That narrows the suspect list.

Educators.
Self-employed.
Shift workers.
Unemployed.
Employed with minimal supervision or accountability.
9-5r on annual leave or sick leave.

Williams POIs had jobs which were highly dynamic residential call outs or kerb crawling. They were not out of place being anywhere. They had no accountability by a boss of where they might be. No one really would take a second look.

Their businesses were often untraceable cash. They drove vehicles which had no distinctive markings and dime a dozen on the road. A white Camry for instance, that was supposed to be crushed but given away to a neighbour apparently. So much so, police may have walked passed it parked at the neighbours house.

An excuse to be anywhere. Hard to track. Their camouflage was urban, hidden behind social contstruct.
 
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Melsy

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They need to have this on the front of newspapers and head story on the news again, it's the absolute least that this poor boy and his family deserve

The lack of noise maybe indicative of future announcements. Trepidation is coming.
 

petedavo

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Jurgen Dieter Schildmann, has a page upon his blog with a lot of old news articles about this case. But he didn't provide links to the actual articles.
They provide a good level of information.


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Melsy

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Jurgen Dieter Schildmann, has a page upon his blog with a lot of old news articles about this case. But he didn't provide links to the actual articles. They provide a good level of information.

Thanks Pete.

I'm surprised there is reference to the crime being sexual of nature when other articles say there was no sexual aspect to the crime. Gerard was badly bashed to death with no sexual element to the crime.

Here is a crime, where a child is on holidays heading to a retail store, disappears and bashed to death . What is the motive? He isn't even a resident to piss someone off so in regards to that point, there is no real premeditation over days.

What motivates someone to abduct a boy on holidays with parents from overseas, off the street and bashhim to death then dump him next to a track near an ammunition dump? It's another next to the road surface body dumping. October 1997

TIMELINE: Schoolboy Gerard Ross was abducted while on holiday in Rockingham in 1997
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-01-17/gerard-ross-murder-cold-case-timeline/8187904

"Gerard and his brother Malcolm left their holiday home on Kent Street at approximately 9.30am on October 14, 1997" (Tuesday)

"Shortly after passing 99 Kent Street, Gerard went missing."
 
What motivates someone to abduct a boy on holidays with parents from overseas, off the street and bashhim to death then dump him next to a track near an ammunition dump? It's another next to the road surface body dumping.

He might have seen something he shouldn't have and threatened to tell, as kids will sometimes do without thinking. Perhaps near the public toilet block.
 

Melsy

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Kent Street, 9.30am, Tuesday 1997. Gerard was on the same street as his holiday house. Gerard was abducted on the same street. 101 Kent. Gerard had not gone far at all.

His parents have gone back to SCOTLAND.

AGENCIES including the State Emergency Service, police sources and others connected to the case have been warned against speaking to The Sunday Times about the “taboo” investigation.
https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/wa...rard-ross-ng-1f477bceed0561c08593caf3ab4fc783

“Maintaining the operational integrity of the investigation is paramount if we are to bring the offender(s) to justice, therefore we are unable to comment on current lines of inquiry,” a spokesman said.

Any review was expected to focus on entomology – the study of insects – and the dog hairs. Experts say the dog hairs could have been transferred from the killer’s clothing, even if their dog wasn’t with them at the time.
 
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Kent Street, 9.30am, Tuesday 1997. Gerard was on the same street as his holiday house. Gerard was abducted on the same street. 101 Kent. Gerard had not gone far at all.

His parents have gone back to SCOTLAND.

Pretty sure investigators don't know exactly where he was taken from or the exact route he took. It's been suggested he might have gone the longer way which took him near to a public amenity.
 

petedavo

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Jurgen Dieter Schildmann, has a page upon his blog with a lot of old news articles about this case. But he didn't provide links to the actual articles.
They provide a good level of information.


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I wonder how old the suspect was with the model aeroplanes? And what was the circumstances of the murder on his lawn years before?

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Melsy

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Even if the DNA had been contaminated, why not use it to identify Gerard? Surely by now the forensics could eliminate Gerard from the scene?

The initial investigation identified two persons of interest. Detectives felt so strongly about these men that it divided the taskforce.

One person of interest was written off early but came under renewed scrutiny when new information came to light. News.com.au does not know the nature of that information.

Police were ready to charge one local man after blood traces were found in his car and had been washed off a wall in a room at his home where he kept model aeroplanes. But the cleaning agent used prevented DNA from being extracted. Blood traces were also found at the suspect’s parent’s house.

The Director of Public Prosecutions wasn’t satisfied there was enough proof to proceed with charges.

Detectives re-examined their suspect “with fine tooth comb multiple times” but couldn’t find that extra skerrick of evidence they needed to get the DPP across the line.

The case was complicated by the fact that there’d been a murder at the house previously, even though it had occurred on the grass outside.

Police also made mistakes. DNA at that time was still a reasonably new investigative tool and samples were contaminated.
 

Melsy

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Someone was familiar with the area. They felt comfortable enough to dump the body without being spotted. What time would have that been?

They could have dumped the body anywhere in there, but they chose that spot.


gerard-ross-stakehill-wapol-map.jpg
 
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Melsy

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Here is an approximation of the spot in a 2004 dataset, Body found 14 days later on October 28, 1997


Gerard-2004-karnup-found-pines.jpg
 
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