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Found fingerprints could catch Samuel Hayward’s killer

Posted on 20/11/2019

Samuel Hayward was found murdered in his Cygnet Terrace unit at Kingston Park on 22 November 1988 by his mother and sister after he failed to turn up for work.

The 46-year old accountant was believed to be single at the time of his death, however, police are interested in a link to the gay community at the time.

The cause of death was a series of blows to his head with a dumbbell, which was located next to his body.

One single unidentified fingerprint belonging to the probable offender was found in Mr Hayward’s bathroom.

Based on the available evidence, detectives believe that Mr Hayward knew his killer and had most likely spent the previous few days with him.

Inquiries have revealed that he had lunch with his attacker at McLaren Vale on Saturday, November 19. There was also a sighting of him walking on the beach at Kingston Park the same day and police believe he was murdered either that night or early the next day.

After his attacker fled the scene in Mr Hayward’s Suzuki hatch, police believe he travelled through Victoria and up the east coast of New South Wales — using Mr Hayward’s two credit cards to buy petrol and clothes, pay for accommodation and withdraw cash.

The card was first used at Horsham in Victoria on Sunday, November 20. It was used nine times in that state and another six times in NSW. On each occasion the person neatly forged Mr Hayward’s signature.

On Thursday, November 24, the person tried to buy a pair of Ray-Ban sunglasses at Port Kembla using Mr Hayward’s Mastercard but by then it had been flagged as stolen and the transaction was refused.

Mr Hayward’s Suzuki was found parked under a tree at 10pm that day at Wollongong, possibly as a result of the credit card being confiscated and the offender becoming spooked, aware that police were searching for the vehicle.

Detectives have confirmed that the man using the credit cards was the same man who was at Mr Hayward’s unit, with fingerprints on the card slips matching the crime scene, along with a matching fingerprint also located on the vehicle.

The last location the second credit card was used was at a Kings Cross motel on Darlinghurst Rd on November 26.

Besides the Suzuki, items stolen from Mr Hayward’s unit included a 36cm colour television, a stereo unit and a scale model of the early warship USS Constitution. They may have been taken either to be sold for cash or to make it seem that the murder was a robbery gone wrong.

The trail of the offender has since gone cold.

Despite the fingerprints being uploaded onto the national database, there has been no hit against any recorded, and a wider search on the Interpol database has also not assisted to identify the person.

A reward of up to $200,000 is on offer to anyone who either 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

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