Current Disappearance of Elisabeth Membrey 1994 - DNA links new suspect

[Kurve]

Shane Bond, a hotel patron where Elisabeth worked was taken to trial for her murder on a purely circumstantial case in 2012 and was acquitted. Police had charged the wrong man with a five year investigation now identifying the likely killer by DNA.

Elisabeth Membrey was a 22-year-old arts graduate, about to embark on what should have been an exciting career in television journalism. Instead her image has become famous for the worst of reasons.

On December 6, 1994, she finished work at the Manhattan Hotel in Ringwood in Melbourne's east and returned to her flat at about midnight.

Blood was found in the hallway, and in her car. Her doona was also missing.

Police believe her killer wrapped her body in the doona and used her car to remove it.

DNA links new suspect to Elisabeth Membrey murder

Witnesses told police the suspect would refer to the Membrey case, saying “Liz is in a safe place” and “They won’t find the body, there is a lot of bush around there”.

www.theage.com.au

 

[Power Raid]

Shane Bond, a hotel patron where Elisabeth worked was taken to trial for her murder on a purely circumstantial case in 2012 and was acquitted. Police had charged the wrong man with a five year investigation now identifying the likely killer by DNA.

Elisabeth Membrey was a 22-year-old arts graduate, about to embark on what should have been an exciting career in television journalism. Instead her image has become famous for the worst of reasons.

On December 6, 1994, she finished work at the Manhattan Hotel in Ringwood in Melbourne's east and returned to her flat at about midnight.

Blood was found in the hallway, and in her car. Her doona was also missing.

Police believe her killer wrapped her body in the doona and used her car to remove it.

DNA links new suspect to Elisabeth Membrey murder

Witnesses told police the suspect would refer to the Membrey case, saying “Liz is in a safe place” and “They won’t find the body, there is a lot of bush around there”.

www.theage.com.au

wow

5 year journey defending oneself against a murder charge, that one didn't commit. Imagine the stress and forever long doubt in the community re guilt.

 

[MSB ROYS]

Seems obvious in retrospect. Feel sorry for the bloke who got charged.

 

[Kurve]

Forensics matched DNA to samples connected in Elisabeth's car has been linked to the brother of Membrey's housemate - a Melbourne man convicted of rape in Queensland.

This new suspect was a witness at Shane Bond's trial.

The suspect now 48, testified that he'd been to the unit 'five or six times, maybe not even that'. He also said he moved Elisabeth's car once as it was blocking his sisters car but the sister disputed this saying the cars were always parked side by side.

Elisabeth's housemate had broken her ankle and was staying at her boyfriend's house and police have always said that the killer knew Elisabeth would be there alone.

DNA links new suspect to Elisabeth Membrey murder

Witnesses told police the suspect would refer to the Membrey case, saying “Liz is in a safe place” and “They won’t find the body, there is a lot of bush around there”.

www.theage.com.au

 

[Sir_Loin]

always been fascinated by this case. Hopefully the coroner can make a quick decision on an inquest. Her parents must be quite elderly now - they might not be around for a trial if it ever gets that far.

 

[Pamcake1]

Quote from the same Age article below:
"More than six times concerned relatives and friends of the suspect contacted police to nominate him as Membrey’s killer, saying he was obsessed with her, had a history of stalking and had made incriminating admissions."

I wonder whether it is the sister of the suspect was one of those family members above.
I hope there is a coroners inquest soon to bring it all to the fore.
I take it that there hasn't been an inquest prior? Has there been?
It's quiet amazing when you hear of all this extra evidence that SB was ever charged and that a trial was run.
It would seem as though there was a lot of bias from the authorities for it to happen in the first place and that they didn't explore the more likely suspect.
Wouldn't leaving a few days after, borrowing a backhoe and having a sister contradicting his statement that he moved their cars send up red flags.
Considering the fires went through Kinglake later on all points to her being buried deeply somewhere there.
Her poor parents, probably knowing some of what Sylvester has writen and having no resolution.
I truley hope that they get it and her remains back to bury before they pass away.

 

[Chameleon75]

I grew up in the Ringwood area, the Manhattan was a local haunt, this is one of those ones I’ve always wanted solved, i really hope they solve it this time, she was a couple of years older than me and it was big news in our circle at the time.

 

[Wooden Robot]

Staggered reading this today how Bond was charged and the other guy wasn’t when the case against the new suspect looked markedly stronger.
Almost like the police were pissing on the wind just trying to mail someone, anyone.

 

[craffles]

This is ****ed. His own family said he did it and the cops ignored it?

 

[Sir_Loin]

Staggered reading this today how Bond was charged and the other guy wasn’t when the case against the new suspect looked markedly stronger.
Almost like the police were pissing on the wind just trying to mail someone, anyone.

20/20 hindsight and clearly they didn't have a DNA match back then but it prompts the question doesn't it? With the evidence they had and the family expressing their concerns, how was it they weren't able to get a DNA sample from him at the time to eliminate him from the investigation.

Super cop Ron Iddles was on it too. I know DNA technology has come on light years since then so maybe that's the reason why.

 

[Wooden Robot]

20/20 hindsight and clearly they didn't have a DNA match back then but it prompts the question doesn't it? With the evidence they had and the family expressing their concerns, how was it they weren't able to get a DNA sample from him at the time to eliminate him from the investigation.

Super cop Ron Iddles was on it too. I know DNA technology has come on light years since then so maybe that's the reason why.

The family component in particular raises red flags.
I hope justice is eventually done.

 

[FrankGrimes]

It actually unbelievable that there could be 2 strong suspects in this case, Bond from memory said to co-workers he did it from memory, and came home with blood all over him saying he bit his tongue or something, the fact that the guy now accused was part of the trial of bond is unbelievable also, without a confession or similar don't think this will go anywhere, but police have obviously released this news in a hope he talks, must have his phones bugged im tipping.

 

[stormbird]

Father of murder victim Elisabeth Membrey dies without the answers he fought for, Sydney Morning Herald, 7 Feb 2023

"Roger Membrey, 83, died on Monday [6 Feb 2023] after a long illness.
...
The Age revealed on Saturday [4 Feb 2023] that a secret five-year re-investigation of the case had concluded that the brother of Elisabeth’s housemate was the killer.
But Roger was too frail to absorb the news of the breakthrough."

 

[craffles]

Father of murder victim Elisabeth Membrey dies without the answers he fought for, Sydney Morning Herald, 7 Feb 2023

"Roger Membrey, 83, died on Monday [6 Feb 2023] after a long illness.
...
The Age revealed on Saturday [4 Feb 2023] that a secret five-year re-investigation of the case had concluded that the brother of Elisabeth’s housemate was the killer.
But Roger was too frail to absorb the news of the breakthrough."

Gut wrenching stuff and easily avoidable if the investigation was completed properly. The bloke literally fled interstate in the week after and had his own family saying he did it, boggles the mind.

Rest easy Roger

 

[Mick 77]

Seems obvious in retrospect. Feel sorry for the bloke who got charged.

Not just him but the guy the police harassed for 6 years knocking on his door at all hours.
Perfect example of innocent until proven guilty most thought Bond did it even though a not guilty verdict!
Sent both down a dark path.
Hopefully justice now gets done and the guilty party is convicted.

 

[Sir_Loin]

Father of murder victim Elisabeth Membrey dies without the answers he fought for, Sydney Morning Herald, 7 Feb 2023

"Roger Membrey, 83, died on Monday [6 Feb 2023] after a long illness.
...
The Age revealed on Saturday [4 Feb 2023] that a secret five-year re-investigation of the case had concluded that the brother of Elisabeth’s housemate was the killer.
But Roger was too frail to absorb the news of the breakthrough."

That’s bloody horrible. RIP.

 

[stormbird]

If there's a match between the DNA of the housemate's brother and a sample from Elisabeth's car, why wasn't that found earlier? Presumably the police have had the car samples since Elisabeth went missing in 1994, about 28 years ago.

According to the link posted by kurve, DNA links new suspect to Elisabeth Membrey murder, The Age, 04 Feb 2023, "twenty years after the murder" (so, 20 years after 1994 would be about 2014?) the housemate's brother was convicted of a sexual assault in Queensland and his DNA was added to a national database. If that was in 2014 then it's been sitting in the database for about nine years now. The same article says that police have been "re-investigating" Elisabeth's murder for five years.

The housemate's brother was reported to have been one of the main persons of interest investigated in the early years of the case. The Membrey files, Sydney Morning Herald, 09 June 2012 (about halfway down, calling him "the brother of Membrey's flatmate") described him as an "attention seeker" who "claimed the body was in a river". Further down, it says "the flatmate's brother" had been eliminated by 2006.

The whole thing is odd, IMO. Why was he eliminated before, and why was the DNA match not found until, when - now? I hope the coroner does open a new inquest, there seems to be plenty to investigate.

 

[stormbird]

Quote from the same Age article below:
"More than six times concerned relatives and friends of the suspect contacted police to nominate him as Membrey’s killer, saying he was obsessed with her, had a history of stalking and had made incriminating admissions."

I wonder whether it is the sister of the suspect was one of those family members above.
I hope there is a coroners inquest soon to bring it all to the fore.
I take it that there hasn't been an inquest prior? Has there been?
It's quiet amazing when you hear of all this extra evidence that SB was ever charged and that a trial was run.
It would seem as though there was a lot of bias from the authorities for it to happen in the first place and that they didn't explore the more likely suspect.
Wouldn't leaving a few days after, borrowing a backhoe and having a sister contradicting his statement that he moved their cars send up red flags.
Considering the fires went through Kinglake later on all points to her being buried deeply somewhere there.
Her poor parents, probably knowing some of what Sylvester has writen and having no resolution.
I truley hope that they get it and her remains back to bury before they pass away.

Re: "I take it that there hasn't been an inquest prior? Has there been?"

Apparently there was an inquest in 2000, but it seems like the findings might not have been published - I had look online but couldn't find them anywhere.

Trove has an article from The Age, 15 August 2000 (snapshot by Trove 17 Aug 2000), which reported that coroner Jacinta Heffey delivered her findings "yesterday".

'Coroner Jacinta Heffey said that while the precise circumstances surrounding Ms Membrey's disappearance were unclear, the "working hypothesis" was that she was murdered by someone she knew.
...
Ms Heffey said the Homicide Squad's investigation into the case, which she said was "baffling", had been extensive. She said there was nothing in Ms Membrey's past to suggest any involvement with criminal elements and she had had no known violent relationships.
Ms Heffey appealed to the public for fresh leads in the case, saying Ms Membrey's parents are "inconsolable in the loss and mystery of their daughter's disappearance".'

 

[Sir_Loin]

If there's a match between the DNA of the housemate's brother and a sample from Elisabeth's car, why wasn't that found earlier? Presumably the police have had the car samples since Elisabeth went missing in 1994, about 28 years ago.

According to the link posted by kurve, DNA links new suspect to Elisabeth Membrey murder, The Age, 04 Feb 2023, "twenty years after the murder" (so, 20 years after 1994 would be about 2014?) the housemate's brother was convicted of a sexual assault in Queensland and his DNA was added to a national database. If that was in 2014 then it's been sitting in the database for about nine years now. The same article says that police have been "re-investigating" Elisabeth's murder for five years.

The housemate's brother was reported to have been one of the main persons of interest investigated in the early years of the case. The Membrey files, Sydney Morning Herald, 09 June 2012 (about halfway down, calling him "the brother of Membrey's flatmate") described him as an "attention seeker" who "claimed the body was in a river". Further down, it says "the flatmate's brother" had been eliminated by 2006.

The whole thing is odd, IMO. Why was he eliminated before, and why was the DNA match not found until, when - now? I hope the coroner does open a new inquest, there seems to be plenty to investigate.

This is where I’m confused/concerned. When you have Ron Iddles on the case I just can not fathom how this has played out. More will come out no doubt, I hope there is an inquest.

 

[stormbird]

Shane Bond’s brother says wrongful prosecution on Elisabeth Membrey murder destroyed family, Herald Sun, 11 Feb 2023 (paywalled)

'Shane Bond was charged with the murder in 2010, 16 years after Ms Membrey went missing on December 6, 1994. ... He spent two years in prison and endured an eight week trial before a jury found he had no involvement in Ms Membrey’s death.
...
“It was really, really hard on me and my family,” [Shane's brother] said.
“Walking past the Membreys in court we’d just sort of nod our heads at each other.
“We felt really bad because we just wanted to let them know Shane didn’t do this, but we want to help you find the people who did.
“We felt so sorry for them. They got put through hell for this. It was hell for our family and double hell for them.”'

 

[Awakening]

Any updates on this case? It sounded quite hopeful in February but all quiet since then.

 

[Kurve]

Any updates on this case? It sounded quite hopeful in February but all quiet since then.

I haven't seen anything yet but with this new DNA link it might be getting close to something.