Media Releases

At about 6.25pm on 8 December 2004, Robert (Mark) Woodland was found by a member of the public in the South Parklands, about 50 metres west of Sir Lewis Cohen Drive, Adelaide.

He had been dead for several days by the time his body was discovered.

A number of personal belongings – including his keys, ANZ ATM card, RAA plastic sleeve and jumper – were missing.

A post-mortem examination found that the 36-year old had been the victim of a serious assault that had taken place some days earlier at that location.

Mr Woodland’s blue Commodore sedan registration number SA WYZ-736 was located nearby in the car park of Veale Gardens.

Mr Woodland left his home at Plympton Park in his vehicle about 9pm on Saturday 4 December 2004.

He did not return home or attend work and was reported missing on 6 December 2004.

Police believe that a member of the public saw Mr Woodland in the early hours of Sunday morning 5 December 2004. At that time, he was alone and did not appear to be in distress.

New forensic testing techniques on DNA recovered from the crime scene has provided a potential profile for a suspect connected with the cold case murder.

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

Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or at www.crimestopperssa.com.au

Crime Stoppers SA has again achieved international accolades for our efforts in working with police and 9 News Adelaide to help solve crime, winning the Media category at this year’s Crime Stoppers International Awards.

This award once again underlines the very real contribution that Crime Stoppers continues to make to the safety of South Australians, and our ability as an independent not-for-profit organisation to deliver world-leading initiatives.

We remain very appreciative of our partners – in particular the team at 9 News Adelaide – for providing significant airtime to profile unsolved crimes and use their reach into the community to encourage people to share what they know without needing to say who they are.

The Crime Stoppers International annual awards recognise leading individuals, programs, activities and campaigns from around the world for excellence and for their contribution to the achievement of the Crime Stoppers International vision – to help stop, solve and prevent crime globally.

The community has been asked to provide information on a number of unsolved and suspected murders in the southern area of Adelaide.

There are three murders in particular where the victims – Robert Atkins, Trevor King and Jeff Mundy – and suspects are all believed to have been associated with the local methamphetamine and criminal scene across the southern suburbs of Adelaide.

In 2020, Robert Atkins is thought to have been held captive for about a week before being forced to commit crimes for his captors. It will be alleged that the 31-year old believed if he obeyed direction of his captors he would be let go. The last known sighting of Robert was captured on CCTV, in the presence of another man purchasing items from a store. Both are seen leaving the store together.

Robert is believed to have been murdered within the area of Port Pirie and Booborowie and his body left near Orroroo. The vehicle – a 2010 black Jeep Cherokee S556AJE – believed to have been used by the suspect was captured by a safety camera on its way back to Adelaide near Willaston.

In February 2019, Trevor King was the victim of unlawful detention and serious assaults, resulting from a drug debt. The drug debt was initially $1000 but increased to $10,000 and then $50,000  due to the lack of a timely re-payment. In late January 2020, the 41-year old’s body was located in West Lakes and was initially treated as a suicide. Further investigations have led to his death being declared a major crime and the suspicion he was murdered.

Jeff Mundy was reported missing on 23 December 2020. The last known sighting of the 36-year old was on 19 December 2020 when he was recorded on CCTV filling a script at a chemist in the Colonnades Shopping Centre at Noarlunga. After an extensive investigation, there is no evidence consistent with him being still alive. His death has been declared a major crime and he is believed to have been also murdered.

Police have stated that the men have all been murdered by low level drug dealers and petty criminals, who bully, threaten and stand over others.

If anyone has information about the murders of Robert Atkins, Trevor King or Jeff Mundy, then you can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or at www.crimestopperssa.com.au

 

 

Anna Rosa Liva was an Italian national who was in Australia on a backpacker adventure of a lifetime.

The experienced traveller from Pordenone, in northern Italy, arrived on a bus at Coober Pedy from Alice Springs at 10pm on 27 November 1991.

She booked into accommodation on Olive St, just off Hutchinson St – the town’s main thoroughfare.

That night the accommodation was full of backpackers eager to explore the Outback town. It is unknown whether she went out that night but, at 8am the next morning – ­ 28 November – Anna ate breakfast at the Last Resort Cafe a few hundred metres from her accommodation and left around 8.45am.

By 9.15am, she had returned to her accommodation and had a cup of coffee and spoke to staff. She told staff that she planned to go “noodling’’ for opals – a term she is suspected to have picked up during a conversation with a local.

There was an unconfirmed sighting of Anna at 9.30am when a local saw a woman matching her description in Edward St, off Hutchinson St.

Her last confirmed sighting was at 11.30am at the council chambers, at the corner of St Nicholas and Hutchinson streets.

She had been seeking tourist information and had a conversation with a worker about a common interest – the Jehovah’s Witness religion. She had made plans to go to a meeting of Jehovah’s Witness’ at 7pm that night in Coober Pedy.

She also collected information about a Jehovah’s Witness establishment at Ingle Farm and obtained a map of Coober Pedy.

Police suspect that she disappeared shortly after leaving the council chambers and never returned to her accommodation, which was only about 300m down Hutchinson St.

Police believe it is most likely that she had a discussion with someone and went willingly with her killer.

Her body is believed to have been disposed of in one of the thousands of disused mineshafts that surround the Far North town. More than a dozen shafts near where Anna was last seen have been searched and nothing located.

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

Rodney Larcombe was brutally murdered and found on the bedroom floor of his Warradale home in 2013.

The blunt and sharp force injuries to his head suggest that his killer was angry or quite frenzied at the time of the attack.

The 65-year-old lived alone at the Kildonan Road address.

At about 4pm on Thursday 28 November 2013, his sister attended his home to check on his welfare after he was unable to be contacted.

Police believe that no sign of forced entry suggests that the offender was either allowed into the house, or simply entered through an unlocked rear sliding door.

Investigations have determined that Mr Larcombe was most likely killed between 5pm and 8pm on Wednesday 27 November 2013.

They do not believe it was a random attack.

Mr Larcombe had been sentenced to 20 months’ jail in November 2010 after pleading guilty to six counts of indecent assault. He was convicted of sexually abusing two male victims between 1 January 1977 and 31 December 1988.

Police have previously released CCTV footage recorded at a house close to the victim’s address in the hope of identifying a number of people seen walking along Kildonan Road on the day of the murder.

Police have interviewed several people, with two of those being of particular of interest, but there is insufficient evidence to progress the matter.

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

 

Today marks another year since Emma Jade Pawelski was last seen alive.

Emma had just celebrated her 30th birthday in October 2005 – which, sadly, was her last personal milestone.

The 30-year old was last seen walking along Regency Rd at Prospect on November 26, 2005 – two days after she had walked out of the house she shared with her partner in Payneham.

While no one knows where she was heading, her badly beaten and burnt body was found on the side of a remote track 300m from a gate off Chalks Rd in Mt Crawford Forest, near Williamstown, eight days later.

She was still wearing the same clothes and it is believed that she was murdered at another location.

A suspect known to Ms Pawelski has been identified, and investigators have previously received credible information that suggests more than one person was involved.

However, public assistance is needed to put the final pieces of the murder together.

Crime Stoppers has been a valuable assistance in the investigation and was used by a person who has twice made contact about the murder.

Calls received on 7 December 2014, and 26 February 26 2015 appear to have been made by the same person who provided information that has since been shown to be accurate.

Investigators are particularly interested in information about the use of a red Ford Telstar sedan around the time of Ms Pawelski’s death and a distinctive leather belt found on her body. They are confident that the red Telstar is associated with Emma’s disappearance and possible movement from Regency Rd up to Mt Crawford.

They know that in the weeks leading up to Emma’s disappearance it was being used by her and her associates.

Police have also received information that suggests more than one person was involved in the murder and disposal of Emma’s body.

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

Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or at www.crimestopperssa.com.au

November 2021 marks 35,000 crimes solved thanks to Crime Stoppers in South Australia.

In acknowledging the significant milestone, Crime Stoppers SA CEO, Nigel Smart, paid tribute to the many thousands of people who continue to share what they know about unsolved crimes and suspicious activities every year, without needing to say who they are or get involved.

“Achieving 35,000 crimes solved should be celebrated by the entire community, as well as police who assess the information we receive and do follow-up investigations as needed, identify criminals and ultimately charge them with an array of crimes that have included serious assault, arson, robbery, murder and more,” Mr Smart said.

“Since Crime Stoppers first started in South Australia on 8 July 1996 it has gone from strength to strength and has now helped to catch nearly 23,000 criminals and solve some of SA’s most heinous crimes,” he said.

“Even the most insignificant piece of information can make a big difference, which is why we continue to see an average of 25 crimes solved every week as a direct result of members of the public choosing to anonymously share what they know or suspect with us. Crime Stoppers SA is well-positioned to build on that success thanks to our long-standing supporters, SA Police, Police Credit Union, 9 News Adelaide, and commitment from the State and Federal governments.”

The Crime Stoppers concept – originally developed in the US in 1976 to solve a robbery-murder – offers people a way to share as much as they want without the need to leave personal details if they choose not to. Calls to the hotline are not traced and IP addresses aren’t stored when using the website to submit a tip.

The 35,000 crimes solved achievement comes as the independent not-for-profit celebrates it’s 25-year anniversary this year. With interstate travel resuming and borders re-opening the Crime Stoppers Australia National Board will hold its final meeting of the year in Adelaide on 25-26 November to mark the milestone. The 2-day meeting will include an evening cocktail function hosted at Parliament House by Police Minister Vincent Tarzia MP.

Police Minister Vincent Tarzia MP said the Marshall Liberal Government proudly backs Crime Stoppers SA with more than $800,000 to stamp out criminal activity.

“Tips to Crime Stoppers SA achieve remarkable results and cold case breakthroughs, helping SAPOL boost community safety on a daily basis,” Minister Tarzia said.

“Our financial support for Crime Stoppers SA is a no brainer because it’s an investment in the safety and security of every South Australian.

“Many criminals have been caught and our streets are safer because of the crucial organisation. We look forward to watching Crime Stoppers SA continue jumping strength-to-strength.”

Anyone with information about unsolved crime and suspicious activity can call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or at www.crimestopperssa.com.au

The suspected murder of Jason Plews continues to frustrate investigators, because they have key information about what happened to the 31-year old but lack sufficient evidence to arrest the man they believe was responsible.

And investigators believe that a potential love triangle, along with Mr Plews’ poor skills as a drug dealer, which saw him lose money while dealing amphetamines, were likely to have led to his murder.

Mr Plews was living at a Salisbury North house with a man and a woman who were in a relationship.

The woman is the mother of Mr Plews’ son and was thought to be rekindling their relationship while her new partner — a drug dealer who is the main suspect in the case — was away from the property for a while.

It is believed that Mr Plews had taken over the main suspect’s drug dealing operation but wasn’t very good at it. His poor skills led to him being hospitalised after an assault that left him with a broken arm and lacerations to the head on November 22, 2001.

After he discharged himself from the Lyell McEwin Hospital he went to live at a Para Hills house and two days later, he is known to have made calls from a nearby phone box to the Salisbury North house.

He is believed to have gone to the Salisbury North address and from there, he disappeared. Police believe he was taken from the Salisbury North address by two men, one of whom killed him.

He was reported missing by police in January 2002 and his suspected death was declared a Major Crime.

Despite extensive police inquiries his remains have never been found. Information received during the investigation has suggested that body may have been placed into a mineshaft or hole.

A reward of up to $200,000 is on offer to anyone who either provides information leading to the recovery of his remains or information leading to a conviction in the case.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or at www.crimestopperssa.com.au