Media Releases

Police believe Garry Hawkins knew his killer.

The father of two was bludgeoned to death – most likely with a steel bar from a dumbbell that was found to be missing from his unit – on the evening of Friday 16 January 2004.

The murder weapon has never been located.

The 49-year-old was last seen alive that afternoon and his body was found early on Monday 19 January.

While there were no signs of forced entry or a disturbance in the unit on Denton Street, Hendon, a neighbour told police he heard an altercation at the rear of the property about 7.10pm involving two men arguing loudly.

Mr Hawkins’ flatmate told police the pair went to bed about 8pm and later he heard a disturbance outside, and they investigated but found nothing and returned to their respective bedrooms.

The flatmate also said he left the unit just after midnight and spent the weekend at a friend’s home. When he returned to the Hendon unit on Monday morning he found Mr Hawkins dead in the living room.

A suspect has been identified but there is insufficient evidence at this time to charge them in relation to this matter.

A $200,000 remains on offer to anyone who provides information that leads to a conviction in this case.

It is never too late to speak up and share what you know.

Contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or go to www.crimestopperssa.com.au

Russell Bradshaw was last seen by his wife leaving their Salisbury Heights home in January 1992.

The 35-year old left without taking any of his personal possessions and without telling anyone where he was going.

He was believed to be involved in the local drug scene, but it is not known if this played a role in his disappearance.

Russell’s disappearance is not consistent with his usual behaviour as he always maintained contact with his friends and family including his children.

In February 2004, police coordinated an unsuccessful search of scrub land near Perponda in the Murray Mallee as it was believed this may have been where his body had been buried.

He is suspected to have been murdered and his murder is believed linked with the disappearance and suspected murder of Damian Cauchi in 1998.

A reward of up to $200,000 is on offer to anyone who provides information that leads to the conviction in the case and/or the recovery of the victim’s remains.

John Bruce was last seen in Coober Pedy South Australia on or about 16 January 2010.

He has not made contact with family or friends since.

It is believed that he may have been travelling to the Northern Territory to find work, but known associates there have not seen or heard from him.

John is believed to be travelling in a red 1985 Ford Courier utility South Australia registration XPO371.

Missing since: Thursday, 14 January 2010
Last seen: Coober Pedy SA
Year of birth: 1938
Gender: Male
Height: 175cm
Build: Slim
Hair: Ginger Grey
Eyes: Blue
Complexion: Fair

If you have information that may assist to locate John please call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or go to www.crimestopperssa.com.au

Schoolgirl Heather Turner spent Friday, 16 January 1998 with her friend Kali Edmonds at Semaphore Beach.

The teenager planned to walk home to Largs Bay, meet a friend, and then return to Kali’s house.

She somehow ended up at a home in Ashton Rd, Davoren Park, with a group of between four and eight people aged in their 20s.

Police believe Heather left the home (which has since been demolished) with the intention of travelling home. She never arrived.

A fortnight later, on 31 January 1998, Heather’s body was discovered partly submerged in a creek at Port Gawler.

Investigators believe that the group of people Heather saw that evening hold the key to solving her murder.

The teenager was murdered at an unknown location, and her body moved to Port Gawler area several days before it was discovered.

While she was fully dressed in what she was last seen wearing on Friday 16th January 1998, her distinctive shoulder bag – a Tweety Bird bag – has never been recovered.

A reward of up to $1,000,000 remains on offer to anyone who provides information leading to a conviction in this case.

If you have any information, call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or report online at crimestopperssa.com.au

You can remain anonymous.

The power of sharing what you know was showcased when information provided to Crime Stoppers led police to discover a large-scale greenhouse cannabis crop at Buckland Park and the arrest five males and three females for trafficking a large commercial quantity of controlled drug and cultivating commercial quantities of a controlled plant. A total of 7,388 cannabis plants were seized along with 330kg of dried cannabis ready for sale.

About 122 contacts about the manufacture and sale of illicit drugs in the community during the month also led to the seizure of 17g of methamphetamine and 5ml of Fantasy.

During the month, your information led to a male being arrested for possessing child exploitation material and indecent behaviour as well as a male arrested for possessing an illicit firearm and other offences.

Our unsolved weekly crime segments asked for your help to identify a woman who robbed a Para Hills service station, as well as an unsolved robbery at the BankSA branch at Barmera in 2013.

Watch these and other weekly crime segments at https://www.youtube.com/user/SIBSACrimeStoppers

Other December 2020 results included:

• 1,675 calls to out 1800 333 000 hotline;
• 364 online reports via our website;
• 902 information reports raised, and 875 actions issued to police for investigation;
• A total of 22 apprehensions for a range of matters;
• 2 firearms seized;
• 9,039 people visited the Crime Stoppers SA website, resulting in 26,582 page views;

If you have any information about criminal activity or an unsolved crime, then call our free hotline on 1800 333 000 or go to www.crimestopperssa.com.au

Rewards are available and you don’t have to say who you are or get involved.

It’s what you know, not who you are, that can make a difference.

Craig Leonard lived at Douglas Road, Salisbury East with his wife and daughter.

The 41-year old was last seen at this address at about 10am on Monday 11 January 2010.

He was in the process of finding alternative accommodation because of strains on his family relationships.

He was last seen by his wife and daughter before they went out. When they returned later, they thought he may be asleep in a bedroom but later discovered he had left.

He was not fit enough to walk long distances and left with only some clothing and some food items – including cold sausages and some junk food.

In the days after his disappearance, a family member used his credit card to withdraw cash from an ATM.

He was reported missing by his wife and has not been seen since that time.

Mr Leonard suffered from a number of medical conditions, was on medication and was unable to walk any substantial distance.

Police suspect he has been murdered.

Searches for Mr Leonard have proved fruitless. The first involved excavating sections of the backyard of the family home and the second by police divers in the River Murray at Walker’s Flat, where the family used to holiday.

A reward of up to $200,000 is on offer to anyone who provides information that leads to a conviction for the suspected murder or the recovery of his remains.

Watch a previous unsolved crime segment about this case at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U014wpgopvY

At about 8am on Friday 10 January 1997, the body of Susana (Suzie) Bobridge was found on a walking trail in the sand hills at Tennyson.

Her cause of death was gunshot wounds to the head and it is believed that the 30-year old was killed at the place where her body was found.

She was last seen alive at about 9.30pm on 9 January 1997, getting into a white car on Port Road at West Hindmarsh with the male driver.

It is believed Ms Bobridge was shot at about 10.10pm the same night.

Ms Bobridge was drug dependent, using heroin and was a known prostitute. She did not work as a prostitute in any of Adelaide’s brothels or advertise in the local paper. She solicited mainly on Port Road and generally only worked as a prostitute when she needed money for heroin.

Amongst her property were numerous letters from criminals serving time in various prisons in this state. She was known to smuggle drugs into prison for inmates. Prisoners being released on Home Detention often used her address as the premises they would be living in on release.

Ms Bobridge was drug dependent and worked as a prostitute when she needed money for heroin.

A reward of up to $200,000 is on offer to anyone who provides information that leads to a conviction in this case.

See a video segment at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KheHFa7xrJ4