Year of Birth: 1977
At Time of Disappearance on 26 April 2001.
Age: 24
Height (cm): 180.0
Build: Thin
Hair Colour: Brown
Eye Colour: Complexion:
Racial Appearance: Caucasian
Circumstances Kellie was last seen in Katoomba
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New serial killer fears From: News Limited newspapers November 02, 2009 10:11AM THERE are fears a missing Victorian woman may be the victim of a serial killer.
A New South Wales coroner wants police to re-open Kellie Ann Carmichael's cold case and check to see if a string of other similar disappearances are connected.
Schoolfriends of ther Geelong woman have pledged their support, offering to write to Victoria's Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione and urge him to set up a special taskforce to investigate the mystery, The Geelong Advertiser reports.
Deputy State Coroner Carl Milovanovich wanted police to set up a taskforce to reinvestigate a string of missing young women after learning the possible murder of Ms Carmichael was treated as a suicide for more than three years.
Ms Carmichael, 24 at the time she vanished, was last seen checking out of a lodge in the Blue Mountains on April 29, 2001.
She was due to fly home to Geelong later that day but was never seen again.
When her parents reported her missing, it was classed as a potential suicide because she had earlier been diagnosed with a mental illness.
Three years later police were given a tip-off she had been murdered but her body was never found.
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Coroner's cold case plea - let's find our missing women
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Disappearance and death of Kellie Ann Carmichael
The NSW Government today offered a $200,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of the person(s) responsible for the disappearance and death of Kellie Ann Carmichael.
The 24 year old Geelong woman was last seen by staff at a hostel in Katoomba on the 29th April 2001.
Minister for Police Michael Daley said that when Kellie left, she told staff she would be back later that today to collect her belongings.
“Tragically, that was the last time she was seen alive,” he said.
“Her parents, John and Margaret, contacted hostel staff on May 5th and after discovering that her belongings were still at reception, they reported her missing to Katoomba Police Station.
“Around May 12th Kellie’s parents travelled to Katoomba where they collected her belongings – which included her ID, wallet, mobile phone, bankcard, Medicare card, camera and toiletries.
“Her parents spent two days searching for their daughter, and were later joined by their son Danny for another unsuccessful week.
“Since then, they’ve wondered what happened to their youngest daughter.”
In 2004, State Crime Command Homicide detectives took over the investigation.
Despite numerous inquiries police have so far been unable to arrest any person they believe is responsible for this crime.
Mr Daley said police believe people in the community may have information about Kellie’s disappearance and this substantial reward may encourage those people to come forward.
“The person responsible for this crime deserves to be behind bars – and police will not give up until they are,” Mr Daley said.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Information can be given anonymously at anytime of day or night.
Deputy State Coroner Carl Milovanovich wants police to take a fresh look at the disappearances after learning the likely murder of a young woman was treated as suicide for more than three years.
Senior homicide squad officers are currently reviewing evidence in the case of Kellie Carmichael - much of which has been suppressed - to determine if the task force gets the go-ahead.
Mr Milovanovich delivered an open finding in the disappearance of the 24-year-old at Westmead Coroner's Court last week.
She was last seen checking out of a lodge in The Blue Mountains on the morning of Sunday, April 29, 2001. She left her bags at the hostel and said she would return in the afternoon before flying home to Victoria.
However, in 2004 the homicide squad was called in to investigate and in 2006 officers publicly stated that they feared foul play was involved.
They said she had links to people in the Bathurst area whom she may have visited.
The case prompted Mr Milovanovich to make the unusual recommendation that the Police Minister Tony Kelly and Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione consider setting up a "special task force" to "look at a number of unsolved homicides and missing persons (suspected deaths) of young women in NSW".
In his recommendations he did not specify any names of missing or dead victims, nor the number of cases he wanted investigated or whether there were links.
He also recommended that Ms Carmichael's disappearance be referred to the homicide squad's unsolved homicide team and that consideration be given to offering a $200,000 reward in the case.
Homicide squad commander Detective Superintendent Geoff Beresford said police had yet to make a decision on whether to establish a task force.
A spokesman for Mr Scipione said police would look closely at the recommendations and seek advice from the head of the homicide squad.
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