Homicide Squad detectives are appealing for information regarding the abduction and murder of six women whose bodies were found in the Tynong North and Frankston areas in the early 1980s.
The deaths of these women are commonly referred to as the ‘Tynong North murders’.
On 30 May, 1980 59-year-old Allison Rooke was last seen leaving her home in Hannah Street, Frankston North about 11am, intending to catch a bus from the Hannah Street and Frankston-Dandenong Road bus stop to the Frankston shops.
Her body was discovered in Frankston by a man walking his dogs in scrubland near McClelland Drive on 5 July, 1980.
On 10 August, 1980 73-year-old Bertha Miller was last seen leaving her home in Kardinia Road, Glen Iris about 10am, intending to catch a tram from Malvern Road and High Street to the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Prahran.
On 28 August, 1980 14-year-old Berwick girl Catherine Headland was last seen leaving her boyfriend’s address in High Street, Berwick about 11am, intending to catch a bus from Manuka Road and High Street, Berwick to the Fountain Gate Shopping Centre Narre Warren.
On 6 October, 1980 18-year-old Ann-Marie Sargent was last seen leaving her mother’s address in Cranbourne Drive, Cranbourne about 9.30am intending to catch a bus to the CES employment office in Dandenong, and from there intended to travel to the Clyde Post Office.
About 2pm on 6 December, 1980 a group of men were dumping animal remains in scrub near a quarry off Brew Road, Tynong North when one of them came across human remains and reported the matter to police.
The bodies of Bertha, Catherine, and Ann-Marie were subsequently located and identified.
On 29 November, 1980 34-year-old Narumol Stephenson was last seen outside a friend’s home in Park Street, Brunswick in the early hours of the morning.
On 3 February, 1983 a car pulled over on the Princes Freeway in Tynong North after getting a flat tyre.
While it was being changed, a man from that car noticed a bone sticking out of the bush and took it to Warragul Police Station.
The bone was confirmed as human and shortly after, the remains of Narumol were located.
On 9 October, 1981 55-year-old Joy Carmel Summers was last seen at a bus stop at Chile Street and Frankston-Dandenong Road, Frankston about 1pm, intending to catch a bus to the Frankston shops
Joy’s body was subsequently found in scrubland near Skye Road, Frankston North on 22 November 1981.
At the time of disappearance, each victim was on foot and did not have access to a motor vehicle, with the majority intending to travel on public transport.
The bodies of all victims had been left in scrubland, and efforts were made by the offender to conceal their location and their identity.
Police have released photos of all six victims and urge anyone with knowledge of who is responsible for their murders to come forward.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers Victoria on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report via the Crime Stoppers Victoria website.(opens in a new window)
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