CASE PROFILE – Patricia ‘Suzie’ Schmidt

Posted on 29/12/2022

Three weeks after finishing her leaving exam at Seacombe High School, Patricia ‘Suzie’ Schmidt got a job at a Burger King so she could buy her family Christmas presents.

On Tuesday, 14 December 1971, the 16-year old worked her first ever night shift, which she had requested because of the penalty rates. On Saturday, 18 December she worked her second shift. Her father was to pick her up when she finished but was running 10 minutes late so she decided to walk home.

At about 1.45am on Saturday 18 December 1971 the teenager was seen leaving the Burger King Restaurant, on the corner of South Road and Marion Road, Darlington.

She was reported as a missing person at 9.30am that day after failing to return home. When she went missing she was wearing black lace up boots, hot pants, a red jumper and an orange coat.

At about 6.30pm on Saturday 18 December 1971, Suzie’s body was located off a dirt track at Hallett Cove, south of Adelaide. When she was found, she was only wearing the boots. The jumper and coat were draped over her body and her bra was hanging on a wire fence nearby.

There was evidence located at the scene indicating she had been sexually assaulted before being murdered, but it is unknown where this occurred. It is likely she was murdered at a location away from where she was found.

The DNA profile has been uploaded to the national DNA database without resulting in a match as yet.

A number of people have been excluded as persons of interest, and several possible familial matches to people on the database who may be related to the offenders have also been identified.

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

Anyone with information can anonymously contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or share an online tip from our homepage.

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