Annette Maree Steward

Circumstances: ANNETTE Steward’s family should have been attending her 30th birthday – instead it was her funeral. Just two days shy of the mother-of-two’s milestone, she was found bashed, strangled and possibly raped inside her

Hope St

home in Geelong West.
She failed to turn up to work at the Winchester ammunition factory in Point Henry and a work colleague – and former flat mate – went to her home to check on her. He will never forget what he saw as he walked in at 1pm: Ms Steward naked and sprawled diagonally across her double bed. She was motionless – a plastic electrical cord wrapped around her neck – and covered in bruises. Police named her former lover as their top suspect. The pair had a sexual relationship before her death and were seen arguing two days before her killing. Ms Steward had complained to family and friends that she was being sexually harassed by a workmate.

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Coroner names murder suspect
POLICE were tightlipped on whether they will charge a man today named by a coroner as the chief suspect in the murder of a Victorian woman 15 years ago.
Victorian Coroner Iain West today named Craig Cameron Rogers as the sole suspect in the 1992 murder of Roger's co-worker Annette Steward in her Geelong West home.

Victoria Police spokesman Senior Constable Adam West would not confirm whether police would now charge Rogers, but said investigations were continuing.

Ms Steward, 28, was found naked in the bedroom of her home with a plastic electric cord around her neck and head injuries on March 18, 1992.

In delivering his findings today, Mr West said suspicion surrounded the activities of Mr Rogers - who worked with Ms Steward at the Winchester Ammunition Factory at Point Henry - and the accounts he provided to investigators.

"Mr Rogers remains a person of interest to investigating police, despite his consistent denials of killing her," Mr West said.

On the last day Ms Steward attended work on March 16, 1992, she was angry and told colleagues she had argued with Mr Rogers.

Mr Rogers - who had known Ms Steward about two years - was also identified as the person who broke into her house about a week earlier, entering her bedroom and waking her from sleep.

Ms Steward had also complained to family and friends she was being sexually harassed by a co-worker.

Another man, Keith Pengelly, admitted to having an affair with Ms Steward and was co-operative with police about their relationship.

Mr Pengelly had visited Ms Steward at her home on March 16, 1992, with three friends.

But after extensive investigation, police found no evidence to link him to her murder.

Mr Rogers, however, was interviewed by detectives several times where he gave a number of false denials, Mr West said in his finding.

"But they established that he was far more involved with the deceased than he had previously led police to believe."

The victim's sisters, Jannette Path and Gillian Steward, and the victim's son Aaron Steward, were present at the hearing.

Outside the Victorian Coroner's Court, Ms Steward said the family welcomed the finding.

"It was everything we expected and it was good to hear it from the coroner," Ms Steward said.

"It confirms what police have been investigating."

Ms Steward said the family hoped the finding would shed more light on the unsolved murder.

"We do hope that someone will come forward with more evidence the police can use and one day resolve the case," she said.

"(If) someone has had a falling out or someone has said something years ago that hasn't meant anything then, but after the case now and the coroner giving his findings, it may trigger something that they do remember, and come forward and let the police know."

AAP

From: Herald Sun January 30, 2007 12:00AM