Homicide Allegation Issued in Two-Decade-Old Cold Case After Human Remains Discovered Buried in South Australian Residential Property
Law enforcement have charged a man with homicide, just hours following skeletal remains were located during a investigation for the remains of a female who vanished over 20 years ago.
Major Development in Years-Old Investigation
The discovery of skeletal evidence, thought to be those of a 39-year-old woman, buried in the back yard of a house in a regional town, South Australia, marked a major breakthrough in the long-dormant investigation.
Major crime detectives took into custody and accused a 64-year-old local resident with the killing of Goodwin, who was last seen in July 2002.
Court Appearance
The suspect was due to face charges in Port Lincoln magistrates court on Thursday.
Investigation Details
Prior to the arrest, authorities stated they had temporarily halted their search after the discovery of possible human remains at a Port Lincoln property during preliminary digging.
A bone specialist from Forensic Science SA and additional personnel from the forensic response section and homicide division were dispatched to the location to verify if the remains were of human origin and continue excavations.
Investigators had been employing specialised radar equipment to examine a property on Pamir Court, which adjoins another residential area, where Goodwin had lived.
Relatives' Long Wait
On Tuesday, a senior detective stated that it was “heartbreaking that Susan’s family have spent the last twenty-three years without answers”.
Case History
Goodwin was last seen around midday on 19 July 2002, after shopping at grocery stores in Port Lincoln.
Police had previously stated she was murdered “by someone who was very close to her” and believe the perpetrator still resides in the community.
Several years ago, investigators revealed that a call for tips for leads had resulted in multiple persons of interest being cleared by the probe.
A reward of up to two hundred thousand dollars is available for tips that results in the prosecution of Goodwin’s killer and/or information that helps locate the discovery of her body.
