Current The 2002 Disappearance of Amber Haigh *Married Couple Arrested & Charged

[Kurve]

* Robert Geeves, the man charged has an appalling history of evading accountability

Amber Haigh, 19, was reported missing on June 19, 2002 after failing to return to her home at Kingsvale, near Young, where she was living with her six-month-old son and a married couple.

Police were told the couple dropped Ms Haigh off at Campbelltown train station earlier that month.

A 2011 inquest found Ms Haigh, who intended to visit her sick father in Mount Druitt, likely died by murder or misadventure soon after she was last seen.

Police said they seized a car at Thurgoona, near Albury on the NSW-Victoria border, last week.

A man and woman, both 61, were arrested at a property at Harden this morning.

Couple charged with murder 20 years after young mum Amber Haigh vanished

Police have charged a married couple with the murder of 19-year-old Amber Haigh, whose son was just six months old when she disappeared in June 2002.

www.abc.net.au

 

[GreyCrow]

There's been an arrest for the murder of Amber Haigh.

ATC podcast from 6 months ago giving some background

Podcasts | Pandora

Discover your favorite Podcasts from a variety of categories including Daily News, Music, Business, True Crime, Comedy, Politics and more. Listen to Podcasts on Pandora.

listen.stitcher.com

 

[BFew]

Australian missing persons register

Amber Michelle HAIGH

 

[Kurve]

ATC podcast from 6 months ago giving some background

Podcasts | Pandora

Discover your favorite Podcasts from a variety of categories including Daily News, Music, Business, True Crime, Comedy, Politics and more. Listen to Podcasts on Pandora.

listen.stitcher.com

Her son was only six months old, that poor kid I feel so badly for her but at least it looks like there will be accountability.

I've opened a thread for the case, so might move this over.

 

[BFew]

Might have the NSW Crime Commission have been brought in recently to try and get the Geeves to answer questions they refused to answer at Amber Haigh's 2011 inquest?

Teen dead and suspicion remains with former lover: coroner

LIFE has returned to normal for Robert Geeves this week after a coroner's inquest into the disappearance of his former lover, the teenager Amber Haigh.

www.smh.com.au

Teen dead and suspicion remains with former lover: coroner​

By Malcolm Brown​

July 11, 2011 — 12.00am

'At Ms Haigh's inquest, which began at Parramatta and sat for two days in Young last week, Mr and Mrs Geeves refused to answer questions on the grounds their answers might tend to incriminate them.

Following an application from the Herald, a ban on publication of their refusal to answer was lifted by the deputy State Coroner, Scott Mitchell.

Mr Geeves was questioned by Peter Hamill, SC, counsel assisting the coroner. Mr Hamill asked: ''Do you know where Amber is?''
Mr Geeves replied: ''I don't wish to answer that question.''

 

[Kurve]

The man who's been arrested for Amber's murder has a very dark history.

Janelle Goodwin, a previous girlfriend of Robert Geeves, also met a tragic end, when she was shot at point blank range aged 29 and her body discovered in a shed at the back of the Geeves property.

"She was left in a wheelbarrow for two days and my dad went into the Harden police station two days after it happened," Robbie said.
Janelle's naked body was discovered dumped in a wheelbarrow on June 21, 1993, wrapped in a sheet and with her ankles bound to her throat.
"From what the police told me, it was the best-cleaned crime scene they'd ever seen," Robbie said.

‘I knew there was some involvement’: Son speaks out on father’s dark past 15 years after girlfriend disappears

Robert Geeves Sr was the last person to see Amber Haigh before she disappeared 15 years ago.

www.9news.com.au

 

[BFew]

The man who's been arrested for Amber's murder has a very dark history.

Darker than dark.

 

[BFew]

Some arrest/case facts worth noting in the 2 articles today below.

Couple charged with murder of teenager Amber Haigh in 2002

Married couple Robert and Anne Geeves, both 61, were arrested over the disappearance of the 19-year-old in 2002.

www.smh.com.au

'Couple arrested over disappearance of teenager Amber Haigh​

Updated May 4, 2022 — 3.51pm'first published at 2.54pm

'“Last week, investigators travelled to the Riverina and conducted a large number of inquiries and interviewed a large number of people,” Superintendent Danny Doherty said on Wednesday.

Investigators have also seized a white Suzuki Sierra, owned by the Geeves’ at the time of Haigh’s disappearance, from its new owners to perform forensic testing.'

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/breaking-news/huge-breakthrough-in-cold-case-disappearance-of-teen-mum-amber-haigh/news-story/45aee992ae9002086e92116c39c4b6b8

'Huge breakthrough in cold case disappearance of teen mum Amber Haigh​

1:38PM MAY 4, 2022'

'They were taken to Young Police Station, where NSW police said they are expected to be charged with murder.

“We have sufficient evidence to charge them and are comfortable we have a strong brief of evidence,” Det Supt Doherty said.'

 

[BFew]

ATC podcast from 6 months ago giving some background

Podcasts | Pandora

Discover your favorite Podcasts from a variety of categories including Daily News, Music, Business, True Crime, Comedy, Politics and more. Listen to Podcasts on Pandora.

listen.stitcher.com

And this True Blue Crime Podcast

27 Aug 2021

 

[BFew]

They've now been charged.

UPDATE: Couple charged with murder over Amber Haigh’s 2002 disappearance | About Regional

UPDATED: Homicide Squad detectives investigating the suspicious disappearance of 19-year-old Amber Haigh almost 20 years ago have now charged a…

aboutregional.com.au

'The man and woman were taken to Young Police Station and have since been charged with one count each of murder.
The man has also been charged with aggravated sexual assault – victim with serious intellectual disability.
They were refused bail to appear in Cowra Local Court tomorrow (Thursday 5 May 2022).'

Also footage of the search warrant being executed and the arrest of the 61yo man and women and them being loaded into the back of paddy/car.


'Couple arrested over Amber Haigh disappearance
May 4, 2022
A man and woman have been arrested over the disappearance of Amber Haigh in 2002.'

 

[BFew]

 

[BFew]

Latest News - NSW Police Public Site

www.police.nsw.gov.au

'Man and woman charged over alleged murder of Amber Haigh - Homicide Squad
Wednesday, 04 May 2022 05:01:31 PM

A man and woman have been charged with murder by Homicide Squad detectives investigating the suspicious disappearance of 19-year-old woman Amber Haigh, almost 20 years ago.

Amber was reported missing on Wednesday 19 June 2002, after she failed to return to her home at Kingsvale, where she and her six-month-old son had been living with a married couple.

Police were told the couple dropped Amber off at Campbelltown Train Station on Wednesday 5 June 2002, where she intended to travel by train to Mt Druitt to visit her sick father in hospital.

Later that day, money was withdrawn from her bank account at an ATM on Queen Street, Campbelltown.

Despite extensive investigations by police over the years – including numerous public appeals and a reward for information – Amber has not been located and the circumstances of her disappearance remain undetermined.

In 2011, a Coronial Inquest found Amber to be deceased, having died as a result of homicide or other misadventure in early June 2002.

In 2020, a formal review of the case was conducted under the Homicide Squad’s Unsolved Homicide framework and a re-investigation commenced by detectives attached to Strike Force Villamar II.

Last month, the NSW Police Force, together with the NSW Government, announced the reward for information relating to Amber’s suspected murder had been increased to $1 million.

As part of ongoing inquiries, strike force detectives travelled to Thurgoona and seized a white Suzuki Sierra for further forensic examination last Wednesday (28 April 2022).

Following extensive investigations, a man and woman, both aged 61, were arrested at a property at Harden about 7.30am today (Wednesday 4 May 2022).

A search warrant was executed at the property a short time later, where police seized a number of items relevant to investigations.

The man and woman were both taken to Young Police Station and have since been charged with one count each of murder.

Additionally, the man has been charged with aggravated sexual assault – victim with serious intellectual disability.

They were refused bail to appear at Cowra Local Court tomorrow (Thursday 5 May 2022).'

 

[Kurve]

'The man and woman were taken to Young Police Station and have since been charged with one count each of murder.
The man has also been charged with aggravated sexual assault – victim with serious intellectual disability.
They were refused bail to appear in Cowra Local Court tomorrow (Thursday 5 May 2022).'

About time and I hope they hit every curb and bump in the road bouncing him off the inside of the van all the way back to the police station.

 

[Story]

I am sure that I can do some research but first do any of you know who raised the baby? I am hoping it wasn't any member of that monster of families.

 

[Kurve]

I am sure that I can do some research but first do any of you know who raised the baby? I am hoping it wasn't any member of that monster of families.

Thanks Story I was just looking for where the baby Royce was, there's an older article I found that has him placed with Amber's relatives but there isn't much more detail that I can find yet.

 

[Kurve]

Having listened to both podcasts now, I just don't understand how Robert Geeves had a murder charge for Janelle Goodwin dropped. She was shot in the head at point blank range, he put her naked into a wheelbarrow with her ankles tied to her neck and over two days, cleaned the scene then he rang the police to say she shot herself.

I can't believe it. Not even an intefere with a corpse charge and she was seven months pregnant. WTF?

 

[Story]

Having listened to both podcasts now, I just don't understand how Robert Geeves had a murder charge for Janelle Goodwin dropped. She was shot in the head at point blank range, he put her naked into a wheelbarrow with her ankles tied to her neck and over two days, cleaned the scene then he rang the police to say she shot herself.

I can't believe it. Not even an intefere with a corpse charge and she was seven months pregnant. WTF?

I couldn't believe thatt either! reading what happened made me want to vomit. I am hoping that now there will be some kind of justice for all of the victims....murders and rapes

 

[BFew]

Having listened to both podcasts now, I just don't understand how Robert Geeves had a murder charge for Janelle Goodwin dropped. She was shot in the head at point blank range, he put her naked into a wheelbarrow with her ankles tied to her neck and over two days, cleaned the scene then he rang the police to say she shot herself.

I can't believe it. Not even an intefere with a corpse charge and she was seven months pregnant. WTF?

And she was found with a plastic shopping bag over her head, stripped naked and wrapped in bed sheets, that leaves open the even more horrific possibility that she was alive for a short while after the shooting.

Haunted

Earlier this year, we told you how two of the women in Robert Geeves' life met tragic and suspicious ends - one shot dead, the other missing without trace. Now, there is a third woman.

web.archive.org

'Story transcripts

Haunted​

Friday, September 23, 2011' [Likely Aired on TV Sunday September 25, 2011)]

Reporter: Liam Bartlett
Producers: Stephen Rice

It would be an understatement to describe Robert Geeves as a man unlucky in love.
Earlier this year, we told you how two of the women in his life met tragic and suspicious ends - one shot dead, the other missing without trace.
Geeves was investigated, but cleared of blame both times.
But now a third woman has surfaced, who claims her life was shattered by Robert Geeves.

For 25 years, Erica has tried to forget what happened, but after Liam Bartlett's investigation on 60 Minutes last April, she decided to speak out about the man who still haunts her dreams.

Full transcript:
....
LIAM BARTLETT: Just a few months after Janelle moved in, her body was discovered underneath a tarpaulin in a wheelbarrow in a shed at the back of Geeve's house. Janelle's body had been stripped naked, tied from ankles to throat, wrapped in bedsheets with a plastic shopping bag over her head. She had been shot through the nostril at point blank range.'
....
'LIZ HAYES: But it was what happened next that disturbed police. Geeves stripped Janelle naked, tied her with rope from ankles to throat, wrapped her body in bed sheets and bound a plastic shopping bag over her head. He then dumped her body into a wheelbarrow, in a shed at the back of his house. And what’s Geeves’ explanation for doing that?'
...
'LIZ HAYES: Would she have been still alive at that point?

GAE: It’s unclear, but certainly she didn’t die instantly there and then when she was shot.
...'

 

[Story]

And she was found with a plastic shopping bag over her head, stripped naked and wrapped in bed sheets, that leaves open the even more horrific possibility that she was alive for a short while after the shooting.

Haunted

Earlier this year, we told you how two of the women in Robert Geeves' life met tragic and suspicious ends - one shot dead, the other missing without trace. Now, there is a third woman.

web.archive.org

'Story transcripts

Haunted​

Friday, September 23, 2011' [Likely Aired on TV Sunday September 25, 2011)]

Reporter: Liam Bartlett
Producers: Stephen Rice

It would be an understatement to describe Robert Geeves as a man unlucky in love.
Earlier this year, we told you how two of the women in his life met tragic and suspicious ends - one shot dead, the other missing without trace.
Geeves was investigated, but cleared of blame both times.
But now a third woman has surfaced, who claims her life was shattered by Robert Geeves.

For 25 years, Erica has tried to forget what happened, but after Liam Bartlett's investigation on 60 Minutes last April, she decided to speak out about the man who still haunts her dreams.

Full transcript:
....
LIAM BARTLETT: Just a few months after Janelle moved in, her body was discovered underneath a tarpaulin in a wheelbarrow in a shed at the back of Geeve's house. Janelle's body had been stripped naked, tied from ankles to throat, wrapped in bedsheets with a plastic shopping bag over her head. She had been shot through the nostril at point blank range.'
....
'LIZ HAYES: But it was what happened next that disturbed police. Geeves stripped Janelle naked, tied her with rope from ankles to throat, wrapped her body in bed sheets and bound a plastic shopping bag over her head. He then dumped her body into a wheelbarrow, in a shed at the back of his house. And what’s Geeves’ explanation for doing that?'
...
'LIZ HAYES: Would she have been still alive at that point?

GAE: It’s unclear, but certainly she didn’t die instantly there and then when she was shot.
...'

And it makes me feel sick all over again.
No stone should have been left unturned by LE when something like that happens. A person/people that commit such a crime, people that show such cruelty and depravity, should never be left to feel that they got away with it. After everything else, it was pretty brazen to leave a body like that; to not even bury them etc. It speaks (to me anyway) of a person with an inflated sense of entitlement and complete lack a respect or value for life itself......is it okay to say psychopathic personallity type IMO.
What I really want to say, is that when a person/people commit such a crime IMO it wouldn't be the first time that they acted in that way (not exactly the same crime but something just as cruel and contemptuous), and that LE would have to know that such a person would act that way again. Yep, it makes me want to vomit alright.
To think that someone knew what happened to Amber and didn't come forward for all these years - didn't come forward until the reward was up to a million dollars.

 

[BFew]

So NSW Police have had the referred to below phone intercepts between the co-accused alleged murderers, since 2002?

Noting that the now ex-couple both had court listings for yesterday and again this morning.

Wire tap caught cold case murder accused discussing young mum's remains, court told

Robert Geeves, who is accused of the 2002 murder of Amber Haigh, allegedly bought a chainsaw after the 19-year-old's disappearance and discussed disposing of her body over the phone with his co-accused, a court has heard.

www.abc.net.au

'Amber Haigh murder accused Robert and Anne Geeves discussed body disposal, prosecutors allege​

ABC Central West
By Hugh Hogan

Posted 36m ago, updated 20m ago

The couple charged with murder over the 2002 disappearance of 19-year old Amber Haigh from regional New South Wales have been refused bail as the court hears of telephone intercepts referring to how the body would be hidden.

Robert Samuel Geeves's lawyer, June Langfield, argued for bail in Cowra Local Court on the grounds the case against the 61-year-old was circumstantial.

Magistrate Jillian Kiely refused the application and agreed with the prosecution that the case appeared to be "very strong" and included 17 pages of evidence, 20 witnesses and phone intercepts from the time of the disappearance between the co-accused talking about the disposal of the body.

The court heard police would tender evidence that Mr Geeves purchased a chainsaw shortly after the alleged offence, as well as telephone intercepts that included the words, "have you taken the rest of her up there?"

Other telephone intercepts referred to in court allegedly include Mr Geeves asking the co-accused not to "roll" on him and him saying that he did not want to go to jail.

Anne Margaret Geeves's lawyer, Clive Hill, did not apply for bail today but said it would be sought due to her serious medical ailments, which involved a kidney transplant and a triple bypass.

The co-accused appeared in the court through video link from Wagga Wagga.

The court heard the couple had not been in a relationship for more than eight years but maintained a friendship.

Prosecutor Chris Brien said the investigation was ongoing and had been restarted after a witness came forward late last year.'

 

[BFew]

To think that someone knew what happened to Amber and didn't come forward for all these years - didn't come forward until the reward was up to a million dollars.

A $100k reward was first offered in August 2007.
The reward was only upped to $1m last week.

The ABC is today reporting that a witness came forward with info on the case late last year before the reward was increased to $1m.

So what new witness(s) are you specifically referring to Story?

Prosecutor Chris Brien said the investigation was ongoing and had been restarted after a witness came forward late last year.'

 

[BFew]

The local Young paper has more details than the ABC on what went down in Court this morning in this horrific case.

Bail refused in "strong circumstantial case" in alleged murder of Amber Haigh

Robert Geeves and his former wife Anne Margaret Geeves, both of Harden near Young, appeared via audio visual...

www.youngwitness.com.au

MAY 5 2022 - 10:48AM

'Bail refused in "strong circumstantial case" in alleged murder of Amber Haigh'​

'The Geeves appeared separately with Ms Geeves, who seperated from Robert Geeves eight years ago, not applying for release.
Her matter was adjourned to May 17 at which time her solicitor Clive Hill suggested an application for release may occur.'

'"If the accused remains in custody there will be extensive delays experienced by him awaiting trial.

"There is forensic testing yet to be completed by police and the brief may be many months away in relation to those items."
Ms Langfield added: "It is most likely he will spend extensive time in custody".

"He has the ability to prepare a defence and he needs to do that.

"Despite charges of a similar nature on his record, those matters were either discharged or he was found not guilty.

"There has been no history of him failing to appear, he has always turned up to court and any bail reporting conditions can alleviate this risk.

"He has ties to the Harden community. He has not left the area at any stage.

"He's chosen not to leave the Harden area, he could have well left the area. He's wanting to stand and fight.

"The prosecution are premature in arresting the accused and charging him without completing their investigations, which they've clearly raised in the media as ongoing.'

Dismissing the application Ms Kiely said: "There is a very lengthy and detailed background of events leading up to certain behaviours allegedly displayed by the defendant towards the young woman".'

'In one recorded conversation Ms Kiely said the co-accused has said: "where are we going to take the rest of her now?".
Ms Kiely said Geeves had replied: "somewhere close to here".

There are other recorded conversations in which Ms Kiely said the co-accused had asked Geeves: "have you taken her yet, have you taken her yet?" to which he is alleged to have replied "no I haven't".

She said there was also a conversation which alleged the co-accused said: "just want to give her to the pigs out the back", to which Mr Geeves is alleged to have replied "yes".'

'"There is a certain information provided by a recent witness that was only known to police at the time.'

'"In terms of delay there will be inevitable delays, any exceptional delays have not yet crystalized. Certainly if the delays were to become extreme an application for bail can be remade at that point.'

 

[Story]

A $100k reward was first offered in August 2007.
The reward was only upped to $1m last week.

The ABC is today reporting that a witness came forward with info on the case late last year before the reward was increased to $1m.

So what new witness(s) are you specifically referring to Story?

So glad to hear that!

 

[Poppy Penny]

Might have the NSW Crime Commission have been brought in recently to try and get the Geeves to answer questions they refused to answer at Amber Haigh's 2011 inquest?

Mr Geeves was questioned by Peter Hamill, SC, counsel assisting the coroner. Mr Hamill asked: ''Do you know where Amber is?''
Mr Geeves replied: ''I don't wish to answer that question.''

Hope so. The NSW Crime Commission needs to be expanded to seek more answers for unresolved crimes. It is completely unacceptable that people can answer “I don’t wish to answer that question.” If you have nothing to hide and are innocent, why the silence?

 

[Poppy Penny]

So glad to hear that!

It’s pretty sad that people only come forward when there is a monetary reward to do so. It’s great crimes may be solved as a result, but it still bothers me.