Police divers have made a significant discovery in the 25-year-old case of missing 15-year-old Melissa Trussell, who vanished with her mother in 2000.
Melissa’s mother, Rosemary Brown, was found dead in the Garden Island mangroves weeks after they disappeared, but Melissa’s body was never found.
On Friday, police launched a fresh search in the Port River estuary at Garden Island in the hope of uncovering Melissa’s remains and providing her family with closure.
The breakthrough came when a vehicle was located that could be linked to the case, with a section of the front grille retrieved to help with identification.
Officers are investigating whether the vehicle is connected to the murder of the mother and the suspected killing of the teenager.
Search Never Ends
According to Detective Superintendent Darren Fielke, this search shows that police never give up trying to find answers to these investigations.
Fielke hopes someone will come forward and explain what happened to the pair, 25 years after the tragedy.
“Twenty-five years is a long time, a lot of water goes under the bridge, people’s allegiances change over time, people forget about it, some people don’t forget about it,” he said.
Family’s Plea
Melissa’s father, Barry Trussell, has issued a plea for information to help provide closure on the 25th anniversary of Rosemary’s body being found.
“A parent shouldn’t outlive their child … and for a long time Melissa’s disappearance has messed me up,” he said.
A reward of $1 million is available to anyone who provides information leading to the arrest of a suspect in Melissa’s murder or the recovery of her remains.
Up to $200,000 is available to anyone with information that leads to the arrest or conviction of those responsible for Rosemary’s murder.