Belangalo
11-15-2008, 12:18 AM
Article obtained from smh.com.au Author Georgina Robinson Nov 10 2008
An underground bunker on an abandoned Blue Mountains property is being excavated by NSW Police searching for the remains of a woman believed murdered almost three decades ago.
Police are excavating a bburied shipping container to search for the remains of Jill Lesley Gamblin a resident of Bellevue Hill , went missing on December 2 , 1979. The then 30-year-old , who was described as "unstable but likeable'' was seen leaving the old Paris Theatre in Liverpool Street Sydney that even ing.
A NSW Coroners inquest 12 months ago concluded the fun loving woman may have been murdered but no suspects were identified , today about 30 police officers , sniffer dogs and earth moving machinery were called in to begin searching a half-acre property in Wombat Street Blackheath after police decided to act on a tip-off to Crime Stoppers they recieved around the time of the inquest.
''There is what is believed to be a shipping container or something similar on the property , plus a dwelling and a shed which obviously we are searching through and will forensically examine ,'' Detective Inspector John Maricic said.
A neighbour identified only as Heather told Macquarie Radio : ''He actually had a bunker in there. I think that's what the're digging out now. Inspector Maricic could not confirm reports that the container had been filled with concrete but said an electric fence had once bound the perimeter of the property.
Property records indicate Ms Gamblin's ex-lover Mr Adrian Chenhall owned a house in Wombat Street although police would not confirm this was the sam property they were excavating. The information we recieved indicates that Jill Gamblin was linked to the owner at the time Detective Inspector John Maricic from Rose Bay police said.
The inquest last November heard that Ms Gamblin had spent a week end at Mr Chenhall's home in the day's before her disappearance , the pair had argued during that time together and Mr Chenhall has since died had tried to his Ms Gamblin the inquest was told.
Detective Inspector Maricic said police still had no suspects in their investigation. He stressed the current owners of the Wombat Street property were not linked to the investigation. Ms gamblin had visited he new lover , Wallace Randolph at the Paris Theatre on the night she disappeared.
A few day's later a note apparently from Mr Randolph appeared on her pillow saying I missed you last night where were you? give me a call. Mr Randolph denied ever knowing her at last years inquest..
A friend of Ms Gamblin's , Gavin Gatenly also told the inquest that he had gone to Blackheath to visit Mr Chenhall but found it locked like a fortress. An inquiry into Ms Gamblin's disappearance was launched in 2004 after the then State Coroner John Abernathy asked that historic disappearances be re-investigated and finalised in inquests.
The Gamblin case was given to Constable Victoria Payne who was based in Rose Bay at the time. Constable Payne appologised to Ms Gamblin's family when the iinquest was finalised. She said 20 years had been to long to wait for an adequiate investigation. Inspector Maricic yesterday acknowledged criticisim of the initial handling ofn the case but said Ms Gamblin's family was taking the new search well under the circumstances.
Obviously at the end of the day they'd like some closure in relation to Jill's disappearance he said. It's obviously difficult for any family after 30 years to still be stuck on the fact that a daughter's death has gone unsolved but we're keeping them informed and they're very appreceative of the work still being done.
An underground bunker on an abandoned Blue Mountains property is being excavated by NSW Police searching for the remains of a woman believed murdered almost three decades ago.
Police are excavating a bburied shipping container to search for the remains of Jill Lesley Gamblin a resident of Bellevue Hill , went missing on December 2 , 1979. The then 30-year-old , who was described as "unstable but likeable'' was seen leaving the old Paris Theatre in Liverpool Street Sydney that even ing.
A NSW Coroners inquest 12 months ago concluded the fun loving woman may have been murdered but no suspects were identified , today about 30 police officers , sniffer dogs and earth moving machinery were called in to begin searching a half-acre property in Wombat Street Blackheath after police decided to act on a tip-off to Crime Stoppers they recieved around the time of the inquest.
''There is what is believed to be a shipping container or something similar on the property , plus a dwelling and a shed which obviously we are searching through and will forensically examine ,'' Detective Inspector John Maricic said.
A neighbour identified only as Heather told Macquarie Radio : ''He actually had a bunker in there. I think that's what the're digging out now. Inspector Maricic could not confirm reports that the container had been filled with concrete but said an electric fence had once bound the perimeter of the property.
Property records indicate Ms Gamblin's ex-lover Mr Adrian Chenhall owned a house in Wombat Street although police would not confirm this was the sam property they were excavating. The information we recieved indicates that Jill Gamblin was linked to the owner at the time Detective Inspector John Maricic from Rose Bay police said.
The inquest last November heard that Ms Gamblin had spent a week end at Mr Chenhall's home in the day's before her disappearance , the pair had argued during that time together and Mr Chenhall has since died had tried to his Ms Gamblin the inquest was told.
Detective Inspector Maricic said police still had no suspects in their investigation. He stressed the current owners of the Wombat Street property were not linked to the investigation. Ms gamblin had visited he new lover , Wallace Randolph at the Paris Theatre on the night she disappeared.
A few day's later a note apparently from Mr Randolph appeared on her pillow saying I missed you last night where were you? give me a call. Mr Randolph denied ever knowing her at last years inquest..
A friend of Ms Gamblin's , Gavin Gatenly also told the inquest that he had gone to Blackheath to visit Mr Chenhall but found it locked like a fortress. An inquiry into Ms Gamblin's disappearance was launched in 2004 after the then State Coroner John Abernathy asked that historic disappearances be re-investigated and finalised in inquests.
The Gamblin case was given to Constable Victoria Payne who was based in Rose Bay at the time. Constable Payne appologised to Ms Gamblin's family when the iinquest was finalised. She said 20 years had been to long to wait for an adequiate investigation. Inspector Maricic yesterday acknowledged criticisim of the initial handling ofn the case but said Ms Gamblin's family was taking the new search well under the circumstances.
Obviously at the end of the day they'd like some closure in relation to Jill's disappearance he said. It's obviously difficult for any family after 30 years to still be stuck on the fact that a daughter's death has gone unsolved but we're keeping them informed and they're very appreceative of the work still being done.