Media Releases

Patricia Mary Dawson was reported as a missing person on 14 April 1972.

Her husband, Peter Dawson, reported that he last saw his 33-year old wife at 11.15pm on Tuesday 11 April 1972, when he left their Ingle Farm house to buy a newspaper from Adelaide.

When he returned home at 12.30 a.m. on 12 April 1972 their two children (aged four and six) were still in bed asleep but she was missing.

He told police about $390 in cash was gone from her bedroom wardrobe as well as some of her clothing.

Mr Dawson later told family members she had gone off in a black car with her boyfriend. His claims initially convinced police to believe that Patricia had left home voluntarily.

Despite checks with relatives and friends she has never been seen or heard from again.

It wasn’t until a review of the case more than 30 years later that police discovered sufficient new evidence to charge Mr Dawson with murdering his first wife.

In 2005, Peter Dawson was arrested for her murder and he was committed for trial. Prior to the trial commencing the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions determined there was insufficient evidence for the matter to proceed.

Peter Dawson has since died.

A reward of up to $200,000 remains on offer for information that leads to a conviction in this case or the recovery of Patricia’s remains.

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

Originally from Port Pirie in South Australia, John Connor was reported missing from Adelaide as of 2.20pm 10 April 1985.

It is believed he travelled to Adelaide to attend a Telecom seminar and has not been seen since.

CASE DETAILS:

Leo Daly has not been seen since the morning of 5 April 1998.

The 33-year old was last seen at his home address at Mitchell Park by his house mate. Police believe that Mr Daly was in fear for his life in March 1998 due to drug debts.

It is believed that because of these debts he was assaulted by criminal associates at a house in Mitchell Park and his body taken out to sea, shot and thrown overboard. His body has never been located.

In 1999 two suspects were arrested and charged with Mr Daly’s murder. These charges were later withdrawn when a key witness refused to give evidence. Both persons remain suspects in this matter.

One of the suspects is also believed to be involved in the disappearances and suspected murders of David McWilliams, Robert Pendergast and 15-year old Juan Morgan.

Part of the reason these cases remain unsolved is because the information about the disappearances is tightly held by a criminal group who were mostly committing theft, re-birthing stolen vehicles and drug trafficking.

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 Leo Daly’s remains.

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

It is yet another year since the murder of infant Dylan Robert James Lindsay in the West Coast town of Port Lincoln.

At about 8.30am on Sunday, 28 March 2004 the 1-year old’s body was found at an Ellen Street property with horrific injuries.

He had visible abdominal injuries and had been the victim of a serious assault. An unknown person had attempted to disguise Dylan’s injuries by using a texta to cover the bruising and marks.

Dylan’s list of serious injuries included five fractured ribs, a lacerated liver and a bruised heart. He died of internal bleeding and expert advice is that would have taken about six hours.

Two people were arrested in May 2004 but those charges were later dropped. Two adults remain “persons of interest” in the case.

Police have encountered reluctance from people within the local community to provide evidence as they investigated the death.

A reward of up to $1 million is on offer for information that leads to a conviction in this case.

If you have any information call 1800 333 000 or share what you know at www.crimestopperssa.com.au

You can remain anonymous.

Crime Stoppers SA has released key program outcomes from 2020 – and the results show that more South Australians are stepping up to share what they know about unsolved crime and illegal activities without saying who they are to help make a safer community.

A record number of calls to the Crime Stoppers hotline saw 20,240 answered throughout the year – resulting in an average of about 55 calls received daily along with a daily average of 15 online reports.

Crime Stoppers South Australia chair, Ms Sharon Hanlon, said that while reports of people ignoring COVID-19 directives is believed to have partly contributed to the spike in numbers, 347 contacts were about murder investigations, while information from the community directly led to 34 firearms taken out of the hands of criminals.

“People were home more during 2020 and were vigilant about what was happening in their local community. The impact of drugs remained a major concern for people, with 2,012 contacts about making and dealing in amphetamine. Eight clandestine drugs labs were located and closed down directly because of information shared with Crime Stoppers – resulting in 2,780 street deals of amphetamine stopped from causing harm,” Ms Hanlon said.

“One of South Australia’s largest commercial cannabis operations was also uncovered thanks to the community and was one of two large rural cannabis plantations shut down during the year. A total of 15,382 cannabis plants were seized, and 704kg of dried cannabis confiscated during 2020 – equating to an estimated 251,760 cannabis deals that were foiled,” she said.

During the year, Crime Stoppers SA welcomed a State Government commitment of $200,000 per annum over the next four years to offset operational costs and deliver critical crime-solving and prevention activities to the community. As a charity run by a Board of volunteers this financial support allows reinstatement of important crime-solving and community education programs, with work now underway to enhance the organisation’s anonymous reporting platform.

Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services, Vincent Tarzia, said: “A record number of calls to Crime Stoppers in 2020 shows South Australians are vigilant and protective of their community. The Marshall Liberal Government is proud to support the crime-fighting charity and its tireless work to catch criminals. We are the first South Australian Government to directly fund Crime Stoppers with more than $800,000. South Australians deserve to feel safe and Crime Stoppers is one way we can protect the community at a grassroots level.”

In addition to a partnership renewal with Police Credit Union as major funding partner for another 3 years, Crime Stoppers also launched an initiative with the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (SA Branch) which has seen more than 40 health care sites registering to participate as a way of deterring and resolving crimes around their facilities. A key part of the initiative has seen prominent signage displaying Crime Stoppers contact details in high-risk areas to encourage people to adopt a proactive role about community safety.

In addition to its ongoing highly-successful partnership with 9 News Adelaide, Crime Stoppers SA also welcomed fiveAA as its official radio partner, providing on-air advertising and promotional opportunities through in-studio support.

In late 2020 Crime Stoppers announced a partnership with Torrens Transit, which saw more than 800 buses across South Australia’s extensive public transport network become a rolling reminder for criminals and those with an appetite for antisocial behaviour that plenty of eyes are watching and Crime Stoppers is just a phone call or a click away.

The organisation also welcomed some of SA’s top-level business and industry leaders as its inaugural group of Ambassadors – with Andrew Marshall, President of the Master Builders Association (SA), Philip Morton, Managing Director of Morton Philips, Jodie van Deventer, CEO for the Committee for Adelaide, Martin Haese, CEO at Business SA, and Channel 9 Managing Director, Sean O’Brien all accepting the challenge of being Crime Stoppers SA Ambassadors.

Crime Stoppers SA once again earned international accolades after it was crowned winner of the Media category (Special Feature) at the 2020 Crime Stoppers International Awards for efforts to help solve the shooting murder of Jason De Ieso.

As part of efforts to better engage the community, a Culturally and Linguistically Diverse strategy was announced to better understand and address crime issues and concerns amongst CALD communities and establish a feedback mechanism about the quality and effectiveness of crime-solving and prevention efforts in these important groups.

More detailed 2020 results can be found here.

COVID-specific information:

Total tally for 2020 COVID contacts to Crime Stoppers was 2,003. Between 1/1/21 – 28/2/21 there were been 130 calls to Crime Stoppers SA re COVID

“Of the 4000 additional contacts Crime Stoppers SA received when compared to 2019, about half were COVID-specific reports about potential breaches of self-quarantine and self-isolation orders, and businesses suspected of not complying with restrictions,” said Crime Stoppers SA Chair Ms Sharon Hanlon. 

 “The other 2000 contacts were about a range of other crimes – and we believe that demonstrates people power at its finest,” she said.

 “It is reassuring that people are clearly motivated to do all they can to protect the SA community by sharing what that know without having to say who they are.”

If you have any information about criminals or criminal activity, then call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or report online at www.crimestopperssa.com.au

On Saturday 7 March 1987, Vasilios (Bill) Antonoglou, was found murdered in the Brownhill Creek Reserve.

The 36-year old had been shot in the upper torso with a shotgun.

Mr Antonoglou was well known in the Greek community and was a musician who played at Greek functions around Adelaide.

During the investigation into his murder a number of witnesses contacted police to advise that Mr Antonoglou was involved in a number of relationships with married Greek women and this was the reason he was murdered.

Three men were arrested in relation to the murder.

In November 1989, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions entered a nolle prosequi in relation to all three accused.

A reward of up to $200,000 is on offer for information that results in a conviction in this case.

Peter Livingstone was last seen at a unit in Crozier Terrace, Oaklands Park during the afternoon of Saturday 6 March 1993.

The 32-year old had been looking after the unit for a friend.

At about 2pm that day he was in another unit talking with a friend when they decided to go to the Warradale Hotel. The associate went into a bedroom to change and when he came out Mr Livingstone was gone.

Detectives checked whether Mr Livingstone went to the hotel alone but he was not seen there that night.

A check with the owner of the flat Mr Livingstone was looking after found that his watch, sandshoes and other clothing were still there.

On 19 March 1993 Mr Livingstone’s severed arms and legs were located wrapped in clothing and a curtain and placed in garbage bags in a storm drain at Westcliff Estate at Marino.

His head and torso have never been located.

Despite extensive investigations, the motive for the murder and why the killer dismembered Mr Livingstone’s body remains unclear.

Mr Livingstone was an itinerant who stayed mostly with friends in a large block of Housing Trust flats bordered by Selway St, Crozier Tce and Johnstone Rd, at Oaklands Park.

He drank heavily, had relatively few possessions and worked infrequently as a labourer for a VIP lawnmowing contractor.

A $200,000 reward is on offer for information leading to a conviction and/or the recovery of his remains.